• PLEBISCITO COLOMBIANO • EUA Y CUBA 12

Resistance continues 2 Workers and oppressed peoples of the world unite! workers.org Vol. 58, No. 41 Oct. 20, 2016 $1 Sexist predator or drone predator? Vote with your feet By Teresa Gutierrez

Oct. 10 — This debacle of an election process is ­unprecedented, bizarre and absurd. And it is also ­dangerous. Analysis of the latest election scandals and the latest debate uproar can tell us more about how to go forward when one of these two “predator” capitalist candidates is elected. On Oct. 7, the Washington Post published a 2005 video in which today’s presidential candidate Donald Trump, at that time the reality show host of “The Ap- prentice,” can be heard making the most obscene, vul- gar comments about women. That opened up a “shit- storm” for the Trump candidacy. This past weekend the elections tragically came down to voting for either a “sexist predator” or a “drone pred- ator.” A racist buffoon or a war hawk. A misogynist, cor- rupt idiot or a corrupt Wall Street lackey. A billionaire rogue thief or a billionaire establishment thief. This scandal is another example that the two parties of the capitalist system are in crisis. The Republican Party is imploding. The Democratic Party had to re- sort to corruption to get its nominee in place, including shutting opponent Bernie Sanders out of funding and support. Neither party can produce legitimate leaders because they represent an illegitimate system.

Trump’s bus a bust PHOTO: RODNE JEAN Action in the just-released video took place on an Ac- Caravan from Fanmi Lavalas brings aid to survivors who lost everything. See page 8 for articles on cess Hollywood bus in 2005. A host of the show, Billy Hurricane Matthew in Haiti and Cuba. Bush — kinfolk to former Presidents Bush — can also be heard on the tape, going along with Trump, laughing lasciviously. The lewd comments Trump made are not printable; they are so offensive. Women’s body parts are referred to as open season for Trump as he declares that because he is a “celebrity, he can kiss” or “grab” anything he Harvard wants and “get away with it.” Trump’s comments amount to coarse verbal sexu- food workers ON STRIKE! 3 al assaults and to the gross objectification of women. Trump believes women are his property, second-class citizens that he can say or do anything to that he wants. His words then and his demeanor now speak volumes about unbridled white, straight, male privilege. Imagine what might happen if a Black man had been Editorial: Sexist bosses 10 caught saying such words. At the least his career would be over. He could end up in jail, or even worse. The exposure created an immediate firestorm. Trump’s campaign was called into question. Republi- Nogales: cans jumped ship in large numbers, and over 20 elect- ed officials and other prominent Republicans withdrew Convergence at divided city 4 their endorsement over the weekend. Both Trump and his vice presidential nominee were disinvited from a Wisconsin Republican event that included Paul Ryan, Speaker of the House. On Oct. 10, Ryan basically disavowed Trump, saying Kaepernick effect 6 Continued on page 5 Subscribe to Workers World Support for Charlotte Uprising 7 4 weeks trial $4 1 year subscription $30 Sign me up for the WWP Supporter Program: workers.org/articles/donate/supporters_/ Editorial: Trump & war 10 Name

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Street______City / State / Zip______Workers World 212.627.2994 147 W. 24th St., 2nd Fl, NY, NY 10011 workers.org • Syria 9 • Colombia 10 • Polish women; Marshall Islands 11 Page 2 Oct. 20, 2016 workers.org In answer to new court ruling Standing Rock resistance continues By Sara Flounders The Missouri River is the main water source for the  In the U.S. Lakota Sioux Nation at Standing Rock and for millions of Time to vote with our feet ...... 1 Indigenous Peoples Day is an answer to the offen- people in four states. Corporate pressure to protect capi- Standing Rock resistance continues ...... 2 sive Columbus Day holiday that glorifies the European talist profit has again and again been considered more im- conquest of the Americas. This year Oct. 10 was a day portant than protecting the land, water and treaty rights Harvard U. strike! Trying to survive capitalism ...... 3 of new arrests of the heroic Standing Rock resisters to of Indigenous nations. National ‘walk-ins’ reject attacks on public education . . 3 the Dakota Access Pipeline, being built by Energy Trans- The largest U.S. banks, such as Bank of America, are be- Solidarity with migrants at U.S./Mexico border ...... 4 fer Partners to transport half a million barrels of oil a hind the pipeline construction and the dangerous practice day across four states. Solidarity actions were also held of oil fracking and drilling. Billions of dollars are at stake. Lee Booth: A woman warrior and internationalist ...... 4 across the country. The Dakota Access Pipeline had originally been planned Sparked by Kaepernick – Sports protests pummel racism . 6 On Oct. 9, a U.S. court, in clear violation of signed trea- to cross the Missouri River north of Bismarck, the capi- Hands off #CharlotteUprising! ...... 6 ties, had ruled once again in support of corporate power tal of North Dakota. However, over concern for the city’s and against Indigenous nations. drinking water supply, the route was moved downstream Charlotte Uprising activists focus on Bank of America . . 7 The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia to treaty lands of the Standing Rock Reservation. Rochester meeting on Syria ...... 9 Circuit rejected the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe’s motion for Dave Archambault II, chair of the Standing Rock Sioux a permanent injunction to stop the $3.7 billion pipeline. Nation, responded to the court ruling: “The Standing Rock  Around the world The events that unfolded on the eve of Indigenous Peo- Sioux Tribe is not backing down from this fight. We are World unions meet in South Africa ...... 5 ples Day once again exposed the criminal role of state guided by prayer, and we will continue to fight for our peo- Cuba’s solidarity blunts Hurricane Matthew’s blow . . . .8 power to protect the ruthless capitalist drive for profits. ple. We will not rest until our lands, people, waters and sa- The courts, police and U.S. military performed as they cred places are permanently protected from this destruc- Haiti in urgent need after hurricane ...... 8 have historically, using military invasion, removal of the tive pipeline.” (indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com) Washington’s threats to expand war in Syria ...... 9 people themselves, legislation and racist policing. The court battle is continuing, with further legal ap- Colombian plebiscite, a dangerous detour to peace . . . . 10 Some 27 people were arrested after confrontations at peals. And the struggle continues on the front lines. construction sites on Indigenous Peoples Day. The arrests Since an initial encampment began at Sacred Stones Women strike in Poland for abortion rights ...... 11 included “Snowden” film co-star Shailene Woodley, who on April 1, thousands have joined more than 300 feder- Justice denied to Marshall Islands victims of nukes . . . . .11 was charged with “trespassing.” About 100 protesters ally recognized American Indian Nations at Cannon Ball, were at the construction site when the arrests were made. N.D. — site of the Oceti Sakowin Camp — to protest the  Editorial But solidarity and determined resistance continue to pipeline. Determined activists are now winterizing the en- Workers to sexist bosses: Hands off! ...... 10 find a way forward. campment to keep a presence through the extreme arctic Trump, Clinton and Syria ...... 10 cold of North Dakota winters. Courts vs. Native rights The fight to stop the Dakota Access Pipeline is a strug-  WWP Presidential Campaign In an effort to push through the pipeline, the courts gle for Native sovereignty and the right to control Indige- The Moorehead/Lilly campaign needs your donation now! .4 had given it fast-track approval in July. But then thou- nous land, water and other natural resources. The resis- sands of Indigenous resisters and their allies, using di- tance organized at Standing Rock is also over defense of  Noticias en Español rect action, rallies and a growing encampment at Stand- pure water as a human right of all people. Plebiscito colombiano ...... 12 ing Rock, drew international publicity. In late August a Cheyenne River Sioux community organizer Joye Braun federal court was pressed to grant a temporary injunc- explained: “The dangers imposed by the greed of big oil on EUA continúa subversión contra Cuba ...... 12 tion stopping construction on the section of the pipeline the people who live along the Missouri River is astounding. stretching 20 miles east and west of the Missouri River. When this proposed pipeline breaks, as the vast majority of But on Oct. 9, the court reversed itself and refused a pipelines do, over half the drinking water in South Dakota permanent injunction. Fearful of growing support for the will be affected. ... It must be stopped.” (lakotavoice.com) resistance, the court also left open a way to reverse its deci- Resistance and solidarity events continue under the Workers World sion. The ruling acknowledged it was “not the final word,” banner of “#NoDAPL. 147 W. 24th St., 2nd Fl. noting that the final decision lay with the U.S. Army Corps Flounders visited Standing Rock in September as part New York, N.Y. 10011 of Engineers. This body is notorious for using its authority of a solidarity delegation of the Workers World Party Phone: 212.627.2994 over vast construction projects to benefit corporate power. 2016 election campaign. E-mail: [email protected] Web: www.workers.org Vol. 58, No. 41 • Oct. 20, 2016 Closing date: Oct. 11, 2016 Editor: Deirdre Griswold Managing Editors: John Catalinotto, LeiLani Dowell, Who we are & what we’re fighting for Kris Hamel, Monica Moorehead; Web Editor Gary Wilson Hate capitalism? Workers World Party fights for a ­degrading people because of their nationality, sexual or Production & Design Editors: Coordinator Lal Roohk; ­socialist society — where the wealth is socially owned gender identity or disabilities — all are tools the ruling Andy Katz, Cheryl LaBash and production is planned to satisfy human need. This class uses to keep us apart. They ruthlessly super-ex- Copyediting and Proofreading: Sue Davis, outmoded capitalist system is dragging down workers’ ploit some in order to better exploit us all. WWP builds Bob McCubbin living standards while throwing millions out of their unity among all workers while supporting the right Contributing Editors: Abayomi Azikiwe, jobs. If you’re young, you know they’re stealing your of self-determination. Fighting oppression is a work- Greg Butterfield, G. Dunkel, K. Durkin, Fred Goldstein, future. And capitalism is threatening the entire planet ing-class issue, which is confirmed by the many labor Martha Grevatt, Teresa Gutierrez, Larry Hales, with its unplanned, profit-driven stranglehold over the struggles led today by people of color, immigrants and Berta Joubert-Ceci, Terri Kay, Cheryl LaBash, means of production. women. Milt Neidenberg, John Parker, Bryan G. Pfeifer, Workers built it all — it belongs to society, not to a WWP has a long history of militant opposition to im- Betsey Piette, Minnie Bruce Pratt, Gloria Rubac handful of billionaires! But we need a revolution to perialist wars. The billionaire rulers are bent on turning Mundo Obero: Redactora Berta Joubert-Ceci; make that change. That’s why for 57 years WWP has back the clock to the bad old days before socialist revolu- Ramiro Fúnez, Teresa Gutierrez, Donna Lazarus, been building a revolutionary party of the working tions and national liberation struggles liberated territory Carlos Vargas from their grip. We’ve been in the streets to oppose every class inside the belly of the beast. Supporter Program: Coordinator Sue Davis We fight every kind of oppression. Racism, sexism, one of imperialism’s wars and aggressions. Copyright © 2016 Workers World. Verbatim copying and distribution of articles is permitted in any medium Contact a Workers World Party branch near you: workers.org/wwp without royalty provided this notice is preserved. National Office Boston Denver Lexington, KY Rochester, N.Y. Workers World (ISSN-1070-4205) is published weekly 147 W. 24th St. 2nd Fl. 284 Amory St. [email protected] [email protected] 585.436.6458 except the first week of January by WW Publishers, New York, NY 10011 Boston, MA 02130 Detroit [email protected] 147 W. 24th St. 2nd Fl., New York, NY 10011. Phone: 212.627.2994 617.286.6574 Los Angeles 5920 Second Ave. 212.627.2994. 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By Phebe Eckfeldt wage, retirement and health benefits. He Cambridge, Mass. stressed that increased health care pre- miums and higher co-pays would be par- It was 5 a.m. on Oct. 5 and Harvard ticularly devastating for the dining hall University Dining Services workers were workers, who get laid off three months already marching on a strike picket line, every summer, but as “seasonal educa- rather than serving up eggs and bacon tional workers” are not allowed to collect on a cafeteria breakfast line. The work- unemployment insurance. ers, many of them immigrants, half of Childs emphasized that the privatized them people of color, are going toe-to-toe health care system was in failure mode with an elite Ivy League university with a when a multibillion-dollar institution re- $37.6 billion endowment. fuses to supply adequate and affordable Dining hall workers on militant strike against Harvard Corporation. The 750 rank-and-file members of health care to its workers. UNITE HERE Local 26 are striking be- At one of the rallies, a HUDS worker WW PHOTO: STEVAN KIRSCHBAUM cause Harvard has refused to back down with Type 2 diabetes said she has a hard HUDS coalition battles corporate power ees Local 32 B-J; and the IWW “Wobbly” from its “take-away” cuts to workers’ re- time, even now, affording her insulin and Workers at Harvard are up against an Cambridge local. Teamsters Local 25 has tirement and health benefits. testing supplies. If her insurance goes up, “education” corporation that is part of big pledged to honor the picket line and re- The university has also refused to hon- she could suffer kidney failure or a heart business profit making and the 1%, in an fuse to pick up trash or make freight and or a previous HUDS contract agreement attack without needed medications. interlocking relationship with the mil- equipment deliveries. guaranteeing workers a $35,000 mini- Harvard Medical School students itary-industrial complex and big banks This strike forcefully raises the class mum yearly wage. Nearly half are earn- backed up the workers In a StatNews like Goldman-Sachs, Bank of America question: How can workers survive a ing less than that now. According to the op-ed, saying the university’s attack on and Citigroup. The governing body of capitalism that will not pay them a wage MIT Living Wage Calculator, even that workers’ health insurance is a matter of the university is literally Harvard Cor- that they and their families can survive salary is not adequate to support more life and death: “As physicians in training, poration — “the oldest corporation in the on, and that will not provide adequate than a one-person household in Boston. we cannot stand by as the world’s richest Western Hemisphere,” dating back to the health care — a matter of life or death? (STAT.com) university forces its most vulnerable em- mid-17th century. (harvard.edu) In socialist Cuba, medical care is com- In addition, HUDS workers are fight- ployees to choose between dinner and a To do battle with this behemoth, the pletely free to all citizens and has no links ing for the right to establish a task force doctor’s visit.” rank-and-file dining hall workers have to profit. In Cuba there is, in fact, no need to combat racism in the kitchens, stop A member of the Racial Justice Coali- put together a town-gown-­community for “health insurance” or for having to management bias against hiring formerly tion at Harvard Medical School, Darshali coalition that is a powerful model for how pay out money monthly to have a safe- incarcerated people and permit immi- Vyas, told the press, “We now also know to win. Coalition members endorsing ty net against for-profit medical or Big grant workers to take leaves of up to a that more than half of HUDS workers and organizing for the strike include the Pharma bills. year with job security. identify as people of color — a level of di- under­graduate Harvard School of Public Harvard University is rich enough to versity not reflected elsewhere at the Uni- Health, the Student Labor Action Move- provide affordable health care to all its ‘We aren’t budging!’ versity — and that many of these workers ment, the Undergraduate Council and workers, but it will not do so without a By midmorning, thousands of workers represent minority and immigrant fami- the Editorial Board of the famed student fight. It will not because, like Verizon or from 20 dining halls and 40 picket lines, lies living in Boston. Protecting their ac- newspaper, the Crimson. Faculty and Veolia or any other capitalist corpora- along with supporters, converged and cess to affordable health-care coverage is non­union employees are supporting the tion, it needs profits to survive. Paying marched into Harvard Square chanting, intimately tied to racial justice.” strike, as they’re also having their health health care or other benefits to workers is “Hey, Harvard, you can’t hide! We can see “The cuts proposed by Harvard are an- benefits cut. not profitable. As capitalism decays, cor- your greedy side!” ti-LGBTQ,” asserted Ted Waechter in his Unity also comes from Harvard Law porations and banks are employing fewer The next day, Oct. 6, close to a thou- article, “The HUDS Strike Is So Gay,” in School students, who protested university workers to do more work at less wages sand workers and allies marched again, the student Crimson newspaper. He ex- racism by occupying their own college in with minimal or no benefits. this time through Harvard Yard in a half- plained: “The proposed co-pay increases February. Both the Cambridge City Coun- mile trek, banging drums and roaring would devastate queer and trans workers cil and the Boston Homeless Solidarity HUDS workers have drawn the line. chants so that even the remotest realms in particular. When we make healthcare Committee have endorsed the strike. The strike by the Harvard dining hall of Harvard’s ivory towers shook with the unaffordable, we keep queer and trans And the dining hall workers have built workers in their struggle for health care, unstoppable surge. They were joined by people from accessing gender-affirming wide solidarity over many years, from for adequate pay, for what they need to Massachusetts AFL-CIO President Ste- treatments, like hormone therapy and their opposition to South African apart- survive is a new heroic battle in the cen- ven Tolman. On Oct. 8, HUDS workers gender-confirmation surgery.” heid to their support for Indigenous and turies-old struggle of workers to take and supporters marched and rallied again Local 26 HUDS workers fought for and Palestinian struggles. back our lives and our work. at the Harvard/Cornell football game. won one of the country’s first sexual ori- Dedicated union solidarity comes from Steve Gillis, Martha Grevatt, Milt Local 26 Chief Steward Ed Childs told entation nondiscrimination provisions, the “old-style” militant Boston School Neiden­berg, Minnie Bruce Pratt and Workers World, “We aren’t budging!” on and are currently fighting for provisions Bus Drivers Union, Steelworkers Local Gerry Scoppettuolo contributed to this demands protecting the minimum yearly based on gender identity. 8751; the custodians of Service Employ- article. National ‘walk-ins’ reject attacks on public education

By Workers World Staff public schools. The city of Milwaukee was used as But public educators’ resistance to Milwaukee In Milwaukee, educators, parents, chil- a laboratory in the late 1980s and early attacks on self-determination for op- More than 100,000 students, educa- dren and community members at more 1990s to implement charter and voucher pressed communities in majority-of-col- tors, parents and supporters participat- than 100 public schools joined walk-ins schools. It is now a majority Black and or cities is growing. Detroit teachers held ed in a National Day of Action for Public sponsored by the Milwaukee Teachers Brown city. Like Chicago and Detroit, a citywide sickout in the last school year. Education on Oct. 6. They represented Education Association. Wisconsin has the city is facing increasing racist attacks Chicago educators are gearing up for 2,000 schools in more than 200 commu- faced severe austerity cuts to K-12 ele- from a right-wing governor and a legisla- another strike. And in Milwaukee there nities, reported the American Federation mentary and high schools, as well as in ture controlled by Wall Street and reac- have been mass walk-ins and other forms of Teachers and the National Education higher education. tionary foundations. of resistance, including a rebellion by Association. A variety of ac- Black youth in August. tions took place, but most The same week in which the school were “walk-ins” — where walk-ins took place, mass labor and com- public school educators and munity resistance caused Milwaukee’s their supporters gathered to Board of Zoning to deny a special use picket and rally before enter- permit to Right Step Inc., a military-style ing their schools for work. voucher school. The protests demanded The school had plans to base itself in increased funding for pub- a vacant Milwaukee Public Schools build- lic schools, expansion of ing in the Riverwest community. The community schools with right-wing, racist Bradley Foundation added services, an end to has given hundreds of millions of dollars the racist school-to-pris- to the drive to privatize public schools on pipeline and a halt to and helps to fund the Wisconsin Institute the expansion of charter Milwaukee students participate in ‘walk-in.’ for Law and Liberty, of which Right Step schools at the expense of PHOTO: MILWAUKEE TEACHERS EDUCATION ASSOCIATION Inc. is a client. Page 4 Oct. 20, 2016 workers.org Solidarity with migrants at U.S./Mexico border

By Monica Moorehead that has been sepa- Nogales, Ariz. rated by an ominous iron fence about 650 A U.S./Mexico Border Convergence miles long and almost took place Oct. 7-10 at Nogales, a city 30 feet high. Various in both Arizona and the Mexican state workshops took place of Sonora. Organized by the School of following the march in Americas Watch, the convergence pro- Nogales. moted solidarity with migrants, who face On Oct. 9, a vigil many forms of violent repression when and rally took place poverty and other conditions in their at the border both to home countries force them to cross the remember those who border into the U.S. have lost their lives Much of this repression comes from trying to cross over the racist U.S. Customs and Border Pro- and to celebrate the tection agency, which has been given the resistance. green light by the federal Immigration The U.S. Border Pa- and Customs Enforcement agency to trol admits that 6,000 beat, imprison and kill migrants who at- human remains have tempt to cross the border into the U.S. been found in the A statement from the organizers of southwest section of the convergence read: “Over the past WW PHOTO: TERRI KAY the border since 1998. WWP presidential candidate Monica Moorehead, former Mexican political prisoner Nestora Salgado, and Los 26 years, SOA Watch has grown from a That was just four Angeles WWP leader John Parker at apartheid wall dividing Nogales. handful of people into one of the most years after President dynamic multi-generational, cross-con- causes of migration, as well as policies On Oct. 7, a vigil took place in front of Bill Clinton signed the North American tinental movements against militariza- that criminalize and exploit communi- the notorious immigrant detention center Free Trade Act, which destroyed local tion in the Americas. Thousands have ties of color inside and outside the United in Eloy, Ariz. The names of many immi- economies in Mexico and fueled deeper been educated and mobilized to take a States. Today, we say enough!” grants who have suffered brutal deaths superexploitation of Mexican workers, stand against U.S. policies and to engage For many years, the SOA Watch pro- inside the center were read out loud. while eliminating millions of jobs in the in nonviolent direct action. New layers of tests took place in Fort Benning, Ga., at- The next day, Oct. 8, Veterans for Peace U.S. and Canada. activists are joining the movement. tracting thousands of activists to oppose led a march of hundreds to the border, An all-day Indigenous People’s Day “The militarization of the border the U.S. military training there of Latin where a rally with speakers and cultural festival featuring speeches, spoken word means the expansion of U.S. military American troops from various countries performances took place. Marchers went and music is planned in Tucson on Oct. 10 strategies across the Americas. To speak to disrupt and destroy popular move- between Nogales in Mexico and Nogales to counter the racist myth of Christopher of the border means naming the root ments for liberation. in Arizona. The two are really one city Columbus “discovering” the Americas. LEE BOOTH 1932-2016 A woman warrior and internationalist

By Debbie Johnson and Cheryl LaBash Lee was an eloquent, staunch and firm sensitivity to every activity in which she Detroit anti-racist and anti-Zionist. Whenever participated. Zionist speakers appeared at the Uni- The Detroit branch presented Lee with The Detroit branch of Workers World versity of Michigan, she participated in the Warrior Woman award in 2013 in ap- Party — and the whole party — recent- demonstrations against them. preciation for her commitment to WWP ly lost comrade Lee Booth of Ypsilanti, The lead poisoning of thousands of and the struggle against capitalism and Mich., whose spirit of commitment was Flint, Mich., residents was the most re- imperialism. exemplified by her 65-year relation- cent cause that brought Lee out to pro- Lee and Phil contributed for more ship with Phil Booth, her surviving life test, even after she sustained a stroke. than 30 years to the national Workers ­partner. She died on Sept. 15 at the age She demonstrated outside the home of World Supporter Program to help pub- of 84. Rick Snyder, the racist Michigan gov- lish this newspaper and regularly made Lee and Phil together attended ernor who was responsible for the Flint financial contributions to the Detroit demonstrations and meetings for de- ­catastrophe. branch of WWP. They attended meetings cades supporting Palestine and Cuba Content to be in the ranks, Lee’s lead- there, although they had to travel for an and opposing the war in Iraq and other ership qualities and understanding of the hour to get to the office. imperialist wars. During that period, class struggle were plain to see whenever Lee Booth is an example of what it Lee also traveled to both Iraq and Cuba she joined the struggle that was most im- means to be a comrade — and what it in defiance of the imperialist sanctions portant at the moment. She brought wis- is to join in the fight to build a Workers WW PHOTO: ALAN POLLOCK against those countries. dom, understanding, determination and World. Lee Booth, ¡Presente! Lee Booth, March 14, 2009, Detroit Interna- tional Working Women’s celebration. The Moorehead/Lilly presidential campaign Needs your donation now! Workers World Party candidates — Monica Moorehead But we can’t do this for president and Lamont Lilly for vice president — have marched against the Republicans in Cleveland and the without your support! Democratic Party machine in Philadelphia. They have We are a working-class party and gone coast-to-coast speaking to workers and people of our only source of income is from color about revolutionary socialism. ­people like you. Help us get out the The candidates were really busy starting Oct. 7 voice for revolutionary socialism to through Oct. 9 at the Border Convergence in Tucson, counter the Clinton war machine and Ariz. Next they go on to California Oct. 9 through Oct. 21, Trump’s racist, anti-people offensives. then to upstate New York and finally Baltimore. Visit our Contributions are urgently needed, no matter how small website: workers.org/wwp/campaign-news. or large. Please make a generous donation today at In the remaining weeks before the Nov. 8 election, workers.org/wwp/donate. we have a chance to reach millions more with ads, online voting, ballot access work and additional travel around Mail checks to Workers World Party 2016 Presidential Campaign Paid for by the Workers World Party 2016 Presidential Cam- the country. Committee, 147 W. 24th St., 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10011. paign Committee. workers.org Oct. 20, 2016 Page 5

Representing 92 million workers World unions meet in South Africa

By Martha Grevatt of the Congress — energized the meeting Durban, South Africa by spontaneously bursting into song be- tween speeches, sharing the revolutionary The 17th Congress of the World Feder- spirit of the heroic fight against apartheid. ation of Trade Unionists, held in Durban, On Oct. 8, COSATU and WFTU rallied South Africa, from Oct. 5 to Oct. 8, together at Curries Fountain Stadium, drew over 1,500 militant unionists from the site where COSATU was founded in over 100 countries on five continents. 1985. A monument to labor was erected, “Class-oriented” unionism, anti-capi- bearing the COSATU emblem and the talism and the need for socialism were slogan “An injury to one is an injury to stressed by speaker after speaker. Over all.” COSATU held a nationwide general 100 union leaders from every corner of strike the day before. “We say to capital, the globe took the floor. ‘You are the loser,’” a spokesperson for The theme of its 17th congress, “Strug- COSATU said. gle, Internationalism, Unity,” showed the The WFTU, founded in 1945, is the WFTU’s differences with another feder- world’s oldest trade union federation ation, the less struggle-oriented Interna- still in existence. It has grown since its tional Trade Union Congress. last congress in Athens five years ago, Many key struggles were represented, with member unions now representing including the 180-million-strong general 92 million workers combined, up from strike in India this September, the resis- 74 million. “Unions are real schools for tance to the coup regime in Brazil and the working class,” said WFTU Secre- the continuing fight for labor and student tary-General George Mavrikos at the fi- rights in South Africa. nal session. Some of the delegates to the WFTU Congress. Martha Grevatt is in second row, center. Hundred of delegates from the Congress A more detailed report on the Con- of South African Trade Unions — co-host gress will follow in next week’s WW. Sexist predator or drone predator? Vote with your feet Continued from page 1 ried to white men are the line in the sand, Some e-mails disclosed speeches Clin- “fighting off the intruder.” he would not campaign for him. Worried while oppressed people are disposable and ton made to Wall Street where she en- about losing the House, Ryan opportu- are to be reminded of “their place”? dorses trade policies that benefit the 1%. Lesser evil is still evil nistically advised other Republicans up How insulting it was to hear male after Others spilled a memo revealing the Clin- Honestly, Annabel Park is spot-on in her for re-election to endorse or break from male, Republican and Democrat alike, tons’ “strategic goal” of elevating Trump descriptions of both Trump and Clinton. Trump depending on their situations. talk about how offensive Trump was to as a “poison pill” for the GOP: “Trump The dangerous by-product of Trump’s NBC was forced to suspend Billy Bush “our women.” was their preferred candidate and they candidacy is real. Those right-wing, vio- after an avalanche of criticism on social “Our daughters, our wives, our moth- worked frantically to help launch his lent, backward, racist, white supremacist media — a victory for women. ers” should not be talked about the way campaign and fuel his ascent, knowing misogynists who attend Trump rallies There was some speculation that Trump talked about women, they said. he would detonate prematurely like one have indeed been galvanized by his can- Trump would not only cancel the second But women are not the “ours” of any- of those SpaceX rockets.” Be careful what didacy. They will not easily go back into presidential debate scheduled for Oct. 9, body, as the women’s movement must re- you wish for! the woodwork if Trump does not win. but withdraw from the race altogether. mind them. Women are not property to be From the Bernie Sanders’ side came But the danger of Hillary Clinton, But there is no stopping Trump. Not at reviled. Nor are they property to be cher- an Oct. 8 Washington Post article by An- while different, is just as real. The Clin- this moment at any rate. ished either. They are not property at all. nabel Park, the Korean-American docu- ton election emboldens those in the Pen- After the debate, news outlets declared mentary filmmaker and political activist, tagon who already have raised the fear- Debate/Debacle #2 that it is almost guaranteed that Hillary headlined “I don’t like Hillary Clinton some possibility of a war with Russia. Political pundit after pundit advised Clinton will win the election. Women are or the Democratic Party. I’m voting for It guarantees more forced refugees. She Trump to be humble, to show compassion polling heavily against Trump after the them anyway.” Park explains her deci- has proven to the Pentagon that she can and empathy to get over the sexism storm. latest scandal. sion came after witnessing first-hand the carry out a coup in Honduras and Haiti Trump did just the opposite. In a taped One of Trump’s constant defenses was violent behavior of white Trump support- and come out smelling like a rose. She message prior to the debate, he said his “that was just locker room talk.” Trump ers at a Virginia rally where they cursed has proven to Wall Street she can steal words did not reflect his true self. He must be reminded that from many a cam- a crowd of Muslim, Latinx, Black, Asian an election and still get her opponent to shockingly added more sexism to the pus locker room, many a male has come and white people protesting Trump. At- support her candidacy. fire as he instead retaliated against Bill out to rape and assault women as they tempting to film the incident, Park was Either a Trump or a Clinton adminis- Clinton.­ walk home from studying. attacked by a Trumpite woman. tration will mean continued war at home Newswoman after newswoman re- But it would be wrong to blame all Park writes, “It finally hit me. ... and abroad because that is the nature of minded viewers that it was not Bill Clin- male athletes or assume some of them Trump has a playbook for power that the capitalist system, a system both are ton who was running for president. But are the only ones participating in this includes targeting journalists and ac- beholden to. to no avail. The day of the debate Trump foul language and behavior. tivists, branding dissidents as enemies There is clearly only one choice for not only paraded before a Facebook news Sexist attacks of all kinds permeate …, fostering a culture of violence and the workers and the oppressed. Build conference four women who had at one capitalist society. Sexism, woman-hat- bullying against minorities, controlling a revolutionary movement to show the time accused Bill Clinton of assault, but he ing, misogyny are institutionalized un- women through sexual humiliation … Trumpites, the Clintonites, Wall Street brought them to the presidential debate. der capitalism. A woman cannot go to and blocking a democratic path … by and the Pentagon who is the real power Like a four-year-old, Trump’s defense Starbucks without fear of hearing the “C” undermining … voting rights. ... These in society: the workers. of his sexism was how Bill’s was worse! word thrown about against her or around tactics have made a cultural impact. On Jan. 20, whoever wins the White her, and we don’t mean “coffee.” ... Violent hate crimes against Muslim House must be met by a powerful count- Who’s the sexist of them all? Women’s oppression is the oldest op- Americans are escalating, and teachers er-inaugural protest. Masses of people As Republicans denounced Trump pression of all, and it cannot be eradicat- are reporting that there’s more bullying should descend on Washington to de- over the weekend, as many of them de- ed without abolishing capitalism. in schools.” mand an end to police terror, no war on clared, “That’s it. This is the last straw,” Park admits fears about Clinton: “She Russia or Syria or anywhere, no to the one has to wonder: Why now? What to do this election year? is a war hawk. She sold fracking to the Dakota Pipeline, yes to a raise in the min- Why did it take this ultra-sexist tirade The Access Hollywood bus scandal world … [and] sees no path for single-pay- imum wage and a union, and much more. for them to say, “Enough”? Why not be overshadowed other important news er health care. She will probably try to After this past weekend, women, who as outraged at Trump’s painting Mexican over the weekend. On Oct. 10, Counter- pass the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade are already spearheading today’s strug- migrants as rapists? Why not be outraged punch commented how “providential” (or agreement, though she’s promised not gles against the police, will surely be in over his continued lies and demonization not) it was for Clinton that Trump’s sex to.” But Park concludes that now she sees the forefront of saying “No” to both par- of the innocent and freed Black teenagers tapes were released by the Washington Trump “as the dangerous intruder with a ties of the capitalist class. known as the Central Park Five? What Post the same day as Wikileaks dumped gun threatening America” and calls for Gutierrez is the campaign manager about his constant vilification of Mus- damning emails about her. “fellow Bernie supporters” to join her in for the Moorehead/Lilly campaign. lims? How can other Republicans sup- port a presidential candidate who makes MARXISM, REPARATIONS & the Black Freedom Struggle fun of the physically challenged? Indeed, why “circle the wagons” regard- An anthology of writings from Workers World newspaper. Edited by Monica Moorehead. Racism, National Oppression & Self-Determination Larry Holmes • Black Labor from Chattel Slavery to Wage Slavery Sam Marcy ing women? Could it be the Republicans’ Black Youth: Repression & Resistance LeiLani Dowell • The Struggle for Socialism Is Key Monica Moorehead own misogyny and ideas of patriarchy? Harriet Tubman, Woman Warrior Mumia Abu-Jamal • Black & Brown Unity: A Pillar of Struggle for Human Rights & Global Justice! Could it be that white women who are mar- COVER GRAPHIC: SAHU BARRON Saladin Muhammad Available at all major online booksellers. Page 6 Oct. 20, 2016 workers.org

Sparked by Kaepernick – Sports protests pummel racism By Minnie Bruce Pratt

Colin Kaepernick’s lone action condemning police brutality against Black people has multiplied into the most widespread mass protest against racism in U.S. sports history. Kaepernick, a San Francisco 49ers Florida State University students sit during na- quarterback, has refused to stand for tional anthem, Oct. 8. the game day national anthem since Aug. 10. Since then, 59 National Foot- Not grasping the concept of academic freedom any ball League players from 13 teams better than constitutional freedom of speech, Sha- have knelt, lifted a fist or sat down nahan also disclosed his bedrock belief that work- during the anthem. On three teams, ing students were in an “employ at will” status to the all the players, of all nationalities, university’s big business trustees. have either linked arms or held hands Seattle Seahawks receiver Doug Baldwin recently to show unity. revealed that at least one owner of an NFL team has By Oct. 7, resistance had sprung up strictly forbidden players on “his” team to protest. swiftly in other sports and related ac- In an interview with HBO’s “Any Given Wednesday,” tivities, including soccer, volleyball, Baldwin said the owner told players, “You’re going to swimming, cheerleading and band Eli Harold, Colin Kaepernick and Eric Reid, Oct. 2. stand on the line with your hand on your heart and performances. Fourteen Women’s Na- you’re going to sing the national anthem because this tional Basketball Association players from three teams The ECU student government came to the band mem- is my stage.” There is no Black owner of an NFL team. protested during their playoffs. bers’ support. A hundred students, Black and white, Corporate media blame the protests for an almost 20 Eight men’s National Basketball Association teams, gathered for the Black Student Union’s die-in, complete percent decline in NFL viewing ratings this season. Sav- including the world famous Los Angeles Lakers, locked with Black Power salutes, at the center of campus. vy insiders are saying the decline is due to the strangle- arms in protest. Lakers center Tarik Black said, “There Right-wingers are jeering, “Keep politics out of sports.” hold that NFL business heads exert over all aspects of the needs to be equality.” But many athletes, coaches and even referees have given sport to try to maximize profits. Anthem protests have occurred in at least 44 high forceful accounts of being subjected to racist profiling, The widespread protests break with the myth that U.S. schools, 21 colleges and two youth leagues in 34 states in having guns pulled on them by cops, or losing family “democracy” offers “equal rights for all.” To prop up fad- the U.S. and three nations abroad. and friends to cop killings. Guard DeMar DeRozan of the ing working-class allegiance to dead-end capitalism in According to a Guardian database, U.S. police have Toronto Raptors basketball team has related how a close the U.S., the Department of Defense has paid millions for killed 156 people since Kaepernick’s protest began. Be- friend was killed by police recently — shot 17 times. pregame and halftime propaganda at sports events. DOD tween 20 to 25 percent of these were Black, a number Big money interests are trying to enforce allegiance gave money for huge flags and military honor guards, far exceeding the proportion of Black people in the U.S. to status quo racist “America” as a “condition of employ- marching bands and flyovers to 18 NFL teams, eight NBA population. ment” on students earning scholarship money through teams and six NHL teams. The Buffalo Bills received Racist reaction to the protests has been horrific, so the athletic or band performance or on more mature athletes $650,000, while their coach Rex Ryan spouts support for bravery of those continuing to act must be acknowledged. who are formally workers for their “owners.” racist, woman-hating Donald Trump. On Oct. 1, at a game against the University of North Caro- Kieran Shanahan, vice chair of ECU trustees, who New York Knicks center Joakim Noah highlighted the lina, 19 East Carolina University band members knelt as is leading athletic boosters in a $55 million fund drive, connection between U.S. racism and U.S. imperialism in the national anthem was played. They were booed, spat said the band members’ protest was as unacceptable as his recent decision not to attend a team dinner at West on and had bottles thrown at them. The school threat- a student making a political statement in a classroom. Point, the U.S. Military Academy, because of his anti-war ened to rescind their scholarships, and a faculty member stance. Noah is on record as sup- said she’d bring her gun to school to exercise her “consti- porting Kaepernick’s anti-racist re- tutional rights.” sistance. (New York Times, Sept. 30) Meanwhile, the protests roll on. As first-ranked University of Ala- bama played Kentucky on Oct. 1, about 30 students stuck to their seats in opposition as the anthem played. Alabama has won four of the last seven national college football championships, and protesters faced down over 100,000 fanatic fans in Denny Stadium. In an interview with Crimson White, the UA student newspaper, junior Dwyer Freeman said the action was in solidarity with Above, East Carolina State band members kneel during national anthem. Greenville, those “harmed under the flag that’s N.C., Oct. 1. Left, students refuse to stand during national anthem at first-ranked supposed to represent them.” University of Alabama football game. Tuscaloosa, Oct. 1.

WW PHOTO HANDS OFF #CHARLOTTEUPRISING!

CharlotteUprising.com Public Information Manager Since demonstrations began against the police murder issued the following statement on Sept. 29: Anjanette Flowers Grube: of Keith Lamont Scott, the police in Charlotte have been office phone 980-314-5170; mass arresting protesters and legal observers, using * * * URGENT ACTION NEEDED * * * cell phone 704-634-5072; chemical weapons against them and violating their most We demand an immediate end to email [email protected] basic rights. Jamil Gill (aka King Mills), who many around the coun- repression of demonstrators in Charlotte! Mayor Jennifer Roberts: try and the world know for his on-the-ground livestreams Call/email the Charlotte-Mecklenburg phone 704-336-2241; from the first nights of protest, has been a particular tar- Police Department, email [email protected] the Mecklenburg County Sheriff, get of police repression ever since the protests began. He Mayor Roberts, Gov. Pat McCrory: was arrested and issued an outrageous bond of $320,000, Attorney General Roy Cooper phone 919-814-2000 which the movement fought and got reduced to a still and Gov. Pat McCrory. or 919-733-4240; obscene amount of $162,000. email [email protected] Jail Liaison Karla Gary: Gill was bonded out on the morning of Sept. 28, and office phone 980-314-5550; Attorney General Roy Cooper: subsequently rearrested by police as he ate lunch! This email [email protected] phone 919-716-6400; is a clear attempt to intimidate and harass Gill, and an email [email protected] attempt by the state to silence and create a chilling effect on the rest of the movement. workers.org Oct. 20, 2016 Page 7

After Charlotte Uprising Solidarity activists focus on Bank of America

By Kris Hamel Buffalo, N.Y. New York From New York to Los Angeles and other cities in between, activists came out on Oct. 4 to show solidarity with the Charlotte Uprising and to echo its demands for justice and an end to racist police brutality and killings. Many of these actions centered on Bank of America locations, highlighting the role BOA plays as part of the ruling elite in Charlotte, which sup- ports the police in its repression of the people, es- pecially Black and Brown people. The city is known as the “Wall Street of the South.” The latest outrage was the videotaped murder of Keith Lamont Scott by Charlotte cops on Sept. 20 and the ensuing re- pression of the community that rose up in rebellion WW PHOTO: ELLIE DORRITIE after Scott’s killing. The police murder of protester Philadelphia Justin Carr on Sept. 21 intensified the rebellion. Arrest warrants for 95 people have been issued. People gathered in front of Bank of America in Center City Philadelphia to show solidarity with the Charlotte Uprising. The rally, called by Workers World Party, demanded justice for Scott and Carr, as well as other demands of the Charlotte Uprising. Speaking for WWP, Mike Wilson emphasized the ur- gency of defending the Charlotte Uprising as well as the growing threat of police repression against Black Lives Matter organizers across the country. Many speakers connected Bank of America’s racism and

exploitation to the police murder of Scott and Carr. WW PHOTO: GREG BUTTERFIELD Activists from the Philly Coalition for REAL Justice Port Huron, Mich. and the Brown and Black Workers Collective, as well as other forces, spoke at the spirited rally. Showing Baltimore their real role in society, the police closed the bank during the protest and brought in hundreds of offi- WW PHOTO, ABOVE, JOE PIETTE cers to protect the financial institution. PHOTO: BRUCE EMMERLIN In Detroit, activists are very familiar with pro- testing at Bank of America. BOA, along with its In Port Huron, former subsidiary Countrywide Loans, was a ma- Mich., about an jor predatory lender that caused the destruction of hour north of De- Detroit’s neighborhoods in the subprime mortgage troit, revolutionary disaster which began in earnest in 2007. This de- youth organized a liberately racist scheme targeted Black and Latinx demonstration in homeowners, women and seniors across the coun- solidarity with the PHOTO,: try. Detroit lost one-quarter of its residents because of Charlotte Uprising. The protest was coverage by the Times JEREMY COLLIN the actions of BOA and other financial institutions. The Herald, the local newspaper, causing a racist backlash Moratorium Now! Coalition to Stop Foreclosures, Evic- from many readers. The youth vow to remain strong. In February Roanoke County police shot 18-year-old Ki- tions and Utility Shutoffs; MECAWI (Michigan Emer- With only hours’ notice, Buffalo, N.Y., activists gath- onte Spencer multiple times. To date, no dash-cam video gency Committee Against War and Injustice); and FIST ered to show support for #CharlotteUprising protesters or the officers’ names of who killed Spencer have been re- (Fight Imperialism, Stand Together) called the protest and to demand justice for Scott, Carr and the ever-grow- leased to the public. and demanded BOA stop its support of racist killer cops. ing number of those murdered by police. The demonstra- For over an hour, the protesters at City Market raised tion was held in front of Bank of America in the city’s up the names of Spencer, Scott, Carr and others killed Roanoke, Va. busiest shopping area. Cars honked almost continu- by police and demanded justice. Leaflets describing how ously in solidarity as the group chanted, “No justice, supporters of the Charlotte Uprising can help that strug- no peace, no racist police!” and handed out leaflets on gle were distributed to many participants and passersby. the repression of Charlotte protesters and BOA’s role. Other demands included living-wage jobs and money for Activists reported the protest received good television real community resources, not for police and jails. After coverage on Time Warner Cable News. the protest, a banner drop took place over Interstate 581. In downtown Roanoke, Va., mostly Black and Brown People took to the streets of Harlem, N.Y., in solidarity youth protested at City Market. Standing their ground with the uprising in Charlotte to demand an end to re- against continual police harassment, youth hoisted a pression against protesters and justice for Scott and Carr. banner declaring “Roanoke to Charlotte: Stop Killing Following a rally at the Harlem State Office Building on Black People.” Numerous passersby joined the protest. 125th Street, protesters marched, zig-zagging through police lines to seize the streets and spread their mes- We need you to call and email the jail, sage throughout the neighborhood: “What do we want? Charlotte and state officials, and demand Justice! If we don’t get it? Shut it down!” Onlookers and HANDS OFF #CHARLOTTEUPRISING! that they stop violating arrestees’ rights! motorists cheered and honked their horns in solidarity. At one point, New York Police Department goons tried Script for call or email: During demonstrations on Sept. 21, the police attacked. to ram protesters with their motorcycles. Thanks to the discipline and street tactics of the protesters, no one was Protesters say the police killed Justin Carr, a 26-year-old “Hello ______. seriously hurt. Black man. Continuing their targeting of Black and Brown My name is ______and The march ended at a Bank of America branch. Pro- people, and with a total lack of transparency, the Char- I am a resident of ______. testers noted that BOA is intimately tied with the police lotte-Mecklenburg Police Department is falsely accusing occupation and gentrification of African-American and Raquan Borum for Carr’s death. Can I speak to (see list above). I am calling to demand that you stop the repression of demonstrators in Charlotte. other oppressed communities from North Carolina to The authorities have continued to violate arrestees’ New York. They urged calls to Charlotte officials to de- “We demand an end to the attacks on Jamil Gill! Stop mand they drop the 95 arrest warrants against protest- legal rights in several ways: by instructing the National the arrests of all protesters! We demand an indepen- Guard and police to blockade the jail — at least three dent investigation of the killing of Keith L. Scott and of ers. For details, go to charlotteuprising.com. times since the uprising began — to prevent the re- the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Dept! We demand In Los Angeles, the Black and Brown Students for Social Justice club of the LA Trade-Technical College, lease of arrestees whose bond was paid; by using bogus that you stop purposefully obstructing the release of BAYAN-USA, the International Action Center and others excuses like fire drills, “suspicious packages,” and even arrestees! We demand that all the charges against those who have been arrested be dropped!” held a Solidarity with Charlotte Emergency Press Confer- characterizing the jail solidarity team gathering at the jail ence. Activists demanded the jailing of killer cops from as a “protest” in order to lock down the jail for hours; and Hands off #CharlotteUprising! Charlotte to LA and an immediate end to police and Na- by intentionally delaying the release of arrestees. The whole world is watching. We won’t stop until tional Guard repression in Charlotte. They have not published arrestees’ names online, im- our demands are met and the people get justice! Joe Piette, Ellie Dorritie, Greg Butterfield and John peding our ability to provide them legal support. Parker contributed to this article. Page 8 Oct. 20, 2016 workers.org Cuba’s solidarity blunts Hurricane Matthew’s blow By Cheryl LaBash Neighbors inland from the coast wel- “The main thing is that we have not comed some of the 380,000 evacuees to had to mourn the loss of any human life.” Oct. 10 — Category 4 Hurricane Mat- ride out the storm in their homes, while thew swept north from Haïti and smashed others went to relatives or shelters. No into the easternmost tip of Cuba’s one was abandoned. Guantánamo province on Oct. 4. Photos Cuba’s preparations included evacuat- from the coastal municipality of Baracoa, ing livestock and pets from low-lying ar- Cuba’s oldest Spanish colonial settlement eas, assembling food supplies and water. dating from 1511, show buildings without They even dismantled 9,000 solar panels roofs, streets clogged with chunks of col- and protected the remaining 1,000 in lapsed walls and other debris. place at the Photovoltaic Park Solar En- The violent seas pushed in huge rocks ergy Research Center. FOTOS: ESTUDIOS REVOLUCIÓN that blocked the roads to the smaller This contrasts with U.S. society, which Above, Maisí, a municipality of 29,000 in communities of Imias, San Antonio del is based on maximizing profit for the cap- ­Guantánamo Province, Cuba, after Hurri- Sur, Yateras, Cajobabo, Maisí and Moa italist ruling class. There were 18 deaths cane Matthew. in neighboring Holguin province. Winds in the United States, not including the denuded hillsides, removing all trees. man police shot on Oct. 5 after he sped Cuban President Raul Castro High winds and rain destroyed crops. out of a South Carolina evacuation check- talks with residents of Baracoa. The storm left only 50 feet of the critical point. Poster quotes Fidel Castro’s May 1, 2000 200-foot bridge over the Toa River. For three days Cuban President Raul speech enumerating what revolution is. The damage in Baracoa looked cata- Castro reviewed pre-storm preparations strophic, but as of Oct. 10, no deaths have centered in Cuba’s second-largest city, general of the Cuban Workers Central gade members’ families in Cuba as well been reported on the island. Despite the Santiago de Cuba. This continued the Union (CTC) in Maisí, said there is much as keeping brigade members informed of fact that it still suffers from a U.S.-im- tradition, set by the Cuban Revolution’s to be done to “re-establish electrical ser- the impact of the storm and recovery in posed economic blockade, Cuba’s prepa- historic leader Fidel Castro, of taking vice, communications and other essen- the affected parts of Cuba. ration for Hurricane Matthew vividly personal responsibility at the front lines tials for the population, to provide water Dr. Regla Angulo Pardo, director of the demonstrates the superiority of organiz- in a time of crisis. and food, these are the priorities at this health ministry, “noted that every single ing society on socialist principles. stage, then we can take on the recovery of collaborator has been contacted, all of In socialist Cuba, extensive pre-storm No one abandoned each labor collective. The other task these whom have water, food and fuel reserves preparations aimed at prioritizing the In Ciego de Avila province, some 700 days is to visit the homes of our workers, for a minimum of 10 days, as well as oth- protection of human life and consciously electrical and telecommunication line comfort them and explain to them that er supplies such as flashlights, candles, conserving both personal and socialized workers mobilized, bringing equipment what the country is doing to re-establish matches and phone credit, in order to re- economic resources. The residents of the and supplies into the hurricane-damaged all those services … is synonymous with main in contact.” affected area were confident they would be area. In the aftermath of the storm, the love.” (tinyurl.com/j259qbj) Cuba reinforced its 648 medical and secure and would have plenty of support olive-green-clad Revolutionary Armed Cuba’s international medical brigades other professionals serving in Haiti with and solidarity both to confront the terrify- Forces cleared the impassable highways. also serve in island nations impacted by the deployment of an additional 38 mem- ing storm and rebuild after it passed. Raul Castro returned again on Oct. 9 to Hurricane Matthew. According to an Oct. bers of the Henry Reeve International By going door-to-door as well as mak- personally meet with the people of Bara- 5 article in Granma International, the Contingent of doctors who specialize in ing announcements from sound trucks, coa, observe the damage and reconstruc- person responsible for the brigades at the disaster situations and serious epidemics. those organizing the evacuation con- tion underway, and evaluate the need Health Ministry confirmed that a hurri- At Guantánamo Bay, the U.S. illegally vinced residents of the danger from the for further assistance. The revolution- cane watch had been issued and “close occupies a naval base that is the site of its approaching hurricane. Then they helped ary government has reduced the price of communication has been maintained ev- notorious torture center and prison. The those people at risk to relocate. This per- construction materials by 50 percent for ery six hours with the heads of the med- U.S. military evacuated 700 family mem- sonal outreach reinforced the messages people whose homes were destroyed or ical brigades” in Haiti, the Bahamas and bers and pets to Pensacola, Fla. The 61 re- Cuban meteorological scientists broad- damaged by the hurricane. Jamaica. maining prisoners and 2,800 U.S. troops cast on television and radio. Omar Cantillo Rodríguez, secretary The health ministry updates the bri- stayed to face the storm.

Haiti in urgent need after hurricane

By G. Dunkel has set the casualties at 1,000, has been but nowhere near what is needed. The or neighbors who plan on bringing aid widely accepted by the media in both U.S. Navy amphibious transport ship to Haiti in the immediate future. But for Oct. 10 — The monumental disaster Haiti and elsewhere. Mesa Verde with 700 sailors and support those who don’t, there are alternatives. confronting Haiti, the first Black republic The U.N. Office for the Coordination personnel is bringing blankets, kitchen The Haiti Emergency Relief Fund is rec- in the Western Hemisphere, continues to of Humanitarian Affairs published an supplies, water and plastic sheeting for ommended by Haiti Action and has a unfold. Beyond the 1,000 or so Haitians emergency alert Oct. 9, reporting that temporary roof replacement, enough for tax identification for tax deduction pur- killed by flying debris, floods, collapsed out of the 2.1 million people affected by 100,000 people. (NPR, Oct. 8) France poses. Donate through PayPal online at buildings or being swept out to sea by the storm, 1.4 million people are in need has sent 25 tons of aid and water purifi- haitiemergencyrelief.org or send a check Hurricane Matthew, 13 have already died of assistance. There are 61,537 evacuees cation equipment with 28 soldiers to run to Haiti Emergency Relief Fund, c/o East of cholera in remote, inaccessible areas in in 191 temporary shelters. More than it. (www.francetvinfo.fr) Bay Sanctuary Covenant, 2362 Bancroft southwest Haiti. In Bombardopolis, a very 200,000 houses were severely damaged. Way, Berkeley, CA 94704. poor town in northwest Haiti, four people Vast scenes of desolation can be Donations needed — It is also possible to donate to Haiti have died of cholera since the storm swept viewed on Flickr photographs posted by give to Haiti-affiliated groups through IFCO/Pastors for Peace, which through. (Miami Herald, Oct. 9) Minustah. Farmers’ fields along the coast As the Red Cross actively solicits dona- assisted after the 2010 earthquake by Cholera produces severe diarrhea and are filled with salt, silt and gravel. It will tions, many Haitian groups and progres- sending a delegation of Latin American rapid dehydration. It can kill within take a long time and much work before sives in the U.S. feel the real character of School of Medicine graduates to serve hours if untreated. It is spread through they are productive again. Banana and the Red Cross can be seen in how it oper- side-by-side with Cuban doctors, and contaminated water and has a short incu- mango orchards are now toppled trees, ated after the massive 2010 earthquake. has continued to provide support and bation period. Rapid outbreaks are com- bare sticks at best. It will take long and Though the Red Cross raised $500 mil- aid to Haiti in the years since. Online at mon. Cholera was introduced into Haiti hungry years before they start bearing lion, it put up only six permanent hous- ­ifconews.org click on the donation icon, by Minustah, the U.N. occupying force, fruit again. In many communities — even ing units to replace the tens of thousands bottom right, and add a comment that in 2010. in major cities like Jérémie and Les Cayes destroyed. the donation should go to Haiti. The overall death total is likely to be — a large proportion of houses have lost Besides the Red Cross with its dubi- Fanmi Lavalas is also accepting dona- double or more than what has been re- roofs, and some are simply piles of splin- ous record, other groups soliciting aid tions through its candidate for president, ported so far. The Haitian government is tered wood. for Haiti on the Internet have solid ties Dr. Maryse Narcisse. On her French-lan- using a slow, cumbersome procedure for Cuba is sending a brigade of medical to the Clinton and Gates foundations and guage web page, marysenarcisse.ht, click registering deaths; it only accepts a death specialists in disasters and epidemics to should be avoided. The Clinton Founda- on the button on the lower-right corner, caused by Hurricane Matthew if the body work alongside the 600 Cuban medical tion received billions in Haitian disaster “Faire un don,” which links to a PayPal is examined by an official. Since large ar- personnel already in Haiti, according to relief funds after the 2010 earthquake page. eas of Haiti are still cut off from accessi- Granma. French television reports that meant for housing and schools — that Hurricane Matthew was a terrible ble roads, with some towns like Randel in Cuba and Venezuela are both sending were never built or were constructed catastrophe for Haiti. All progressives the southwest inaccessible even by four- food and water. shoddily. The Gates Foundation has been should make every effort to avoid it be- wheel drive or motor bike, this produces The U.S. and France, both rich impe- implicated in a Big Pharma scandal over coming a bonanza for NGO bandit capi- an obvious undercount. rialist countries with vast resources — efforts to stop disease caused by lack of talists who made millions-upon-millions The Reuters’ estimate, which uses re- and both responsible for keeping Haiti access to clean water. when Haiti suffered the shattering 2010 ports from local officials and as of Oct. 10 desperately poor — are sending some aid, Some in the U.S. have Haitian friends earthquake. workers.org Oct. 20, 2016 Page 9

Washington’s solution to conflict in Syria Threaten world with bigger war

By Joe Mchahwar Syria’s largest city, which has been torn U.S.-Russia confrontation? member Turkey, Syria’s northern neigh- between the government and reactionary Russia has doubled down on its public bor, extended its mandate allowing the Oct. 10 — With the last few weeks of terrorist groups for four years. commitment to Syrian sovereignty. Mos- Turkish army to send ground troops into intense escalation of its genocidal war Aleppo is a stronghold of the al-Nus- cow deployed S-300 air defense systems Syria and Iraq for the third year in a row. against Syria’s sovereignty, the U.S. mili- ra Front, the al-Qaida branch in Syria. in Syria following the end of the ceasefire Turkey has played a key role in the desta- tary has crossed the Rubicon. This tran- Washington condemns the Syrian army’s and said Russia will not hesitate to use bilization of Syria by facilitating training, sition began Sept. 17 as U.S.-led coalition attacks against the al-Nusra Front, claim- them against any aircraft threatening border crossing, oil trade and many oth- airstrikes massacred 106 Syrian soldiers ing that the “moderate” opposition fighters Syrian or Russian soldiers. On Oct. 7 the er services to the reactionary terrorists, who had seized a hill in the eastern prov- need time to separate from al-Nusra. U.S. Russian State Duma unanimously ap- with IS as the key beneficiary. ince of Deir ez-Zur, held by the so-called spokespeople stipulate this precondition proved an agreement between the Syrian In spite of this role, the Turkish regime Islamic State group (IS) for well over a for an agreement, without specifying who Arab Republic and the Russian Federa- claims to be in Syria to fight IS. But the year. “moderate” rebels are and despite the U.S. tion allowing the indefinite deployment Turkish army has mainly targeted the It was reported that within minutes a having taken responsibility for their sep- of Russia’s air force in Syria. Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which ground offensive by IS against the posi- aration from al-Nusra Front terrorists as The U.S. State Department’s open carries on an armed struggle in defense tion retook the territory. Thus the U.S. part of the sabotaged ceasefire deal. threats against the Syrian state have led to of the Kurdish people and which has been bombing aided IS. Aleppo has also become the crux of a new level of brinkmanship with Russia. among the strongest fighters against IS. The Sept. 17 air raid came five days into the U.S. media propaganda campaign Many analysts ask if recent Syrian of- Turkey’s contradictory role in Syria a ceasefire brokered by the U.S. and Rus- against the Syrian state. Every day in the fensives with Russia’s help aim at cap- has led to blowback within Turkish soci- sia. Less than 48 hours after this prov- corporate media someone sheds croco- turing key territories before the next U.S. ety, causing instability and threatening ocation, the ceasefire was set to enter a dile tears for Aleppo and falsely portrays president takes office. Even if this isn’t the civil war. Turkey has been plagued by new phase of cooperation between the the situation as Syrian jets bombing “ci- case, the Syrians are clearly trying to beat terrorist attacks, apparently by IS, with- U.S. and Russia in fighting the reaction- vilians” and “freedom fighters” starving the clock of Pentagon war preparations. in its borders. And the Turkish army has ary terrorist group. Then on Sept. 27-28, for democracy. Meanwhile, Washington targeted ethnically Kurdish areas in the the U.S.-led coalition bombed two bridg- can’t name a single such group on the Turkey’s role southeast of the Turkish state with brutal es spanning the Euphrates River in Deir ground except for the phantom “Free Under the radar of most corporate me- destruction. ez-Zur. Syrian Army.” dia, on Oct. 1 the parliament of NATO Complicating this further, a failed coup The Sept. 17 raid made two things in Turkey in July was followed by massive abundantly clear to the world: The Pen- purges of public institutions, with tens of tagon directly supports IS in a bid to de- thousands of soldiers and government stabilize Syria, and Washington has no workers arrested. Further steps to parti- interest in any diplomatic solution. tion the war-torn Syrian nation have the Though this attack marked the true potential to bring both states toppling end of the ceasefire, a humanitarian down — and perhaps others. aid convoy was bombed two days later. Washington hastily blamed that on Rus- Role of anti-war movement sia and accused Moscow of sabotaging Above all else right now, it is impera- the ceasefire. Russian officials denied tive that anti-war activists around the these allegations and publicly stated that world defend Syria’s sovereignty in the the U.S. is directly supporting terrorism face of this heightened aggression from in Syria. the United States. The world can expect The United States claimed the strikes new escalations of U.S.-backed forces on against Syrian soldiers were unintention- the ground in Syria, along with sophisti- al, but simultaneously renewed its call cated propaganda campaigns in corpo- for the destruction of the Syrian state. rate and social media. While the Syrian state faces this un- Syrian offensive precedented colonial onslaught from Following the collapse of the ceasefire, Western powers, their allies and proxies, the Syrian army and its allies have em- it is the duty of anti-war activists in the barked on offensives across the nation United States to expose U.S. imperial- with help from Russian airstrikes. The ism’s role and stand firmly in solidarity focal point of this push has been Aleppo, with Syria’s self-determination.

Eyewitness Syria ‘U.S., Saudi Arabia systematically destroy’ By Gene Clancy U.S. and its allies, among them Saudi them amnesty, security and economic tion-and-answer period which was both Rochester, N.Y. Arabia and other Gulf monarchies that aid. informative and positive. Basem Ashkar, directly support mercenary terrorists Bello contrasted the Syrian govern- a local Palestinian, thanked Bello for her Anti-war activists and their supporters like the Islamic State group and Jabhat ment’s efforts with those of groups like trip and report, and reminded everyone packed the Shaw Room of the Downtown al-Nusra, the al-Qaida affiliate in Syria. the so-called White Helmets, which are that the U.S. and the Zionist state of Is- United Presbyterian Church on Oct. 4 to Bello’s report focused on illegal U.S. tools of U.S. policy. Contrary to their rael are directly responsible for the war hear a powerful refutation of the propa- trade sanctions against Syria, which are claims of being “independent” and “neu- in Syria. ganda barrage being conducted by the very much like the embargo placed on tral,” the White Helmets cooperate with The Oct. 4 meeting was co-sponsored U.S. and its allies against Syria. Cuba. In both cases, they damage the terrorist groups and have received over by Workers World Party, the Internation- This past July, Judith Bello, a longtime people’s living conditions. Washington $200 million in support from the U.S., al Action Center, Rochester Peace Action peace activist in the upstate New York and its NATO allies impose these sanc- Britain, Netherlands and various over- and Education, the Downtown Presbyte- area and a leading member of the United tions as part of their attempt to carry out seas billionaires. rian Church Peace Action Team and Up- National Antiwar Coalition, joined a U.S. regime change. Bello’s talk was followed by a ques- state Drone Action. Peace Council fact-finding peace delega- Excluded from the international bank- tion in Syria. Bello’s delegation met with ing system, Syria finds it impossible to people from many walks of life: business trade. Its factories cannot obtain raw people, government workers, nongovern- materials, and finding food and medical mental organization workers and clerics, supplies is a challenge. WAR WITHOUT VICTORY and high level officials. Still, despite the devastation caused by Sara Flounders Bello, the key speaker at the meeting, by the war, the Syrian government con- “By revealing the underbelly of the empire, Flounders sheds insight on reported that Syria is a modern country, tinues to struggle to provide its citizens how to stand up to the imperialist war machine and, in so doing, save which provides many benefits to its citi- with free medical care and education as ourselves and humanity.” zens, regardless of their religion or eth- well as food subsidies. – Miguel d’Escoto Brockmann, President, U.N. General Assembly, 2008-2009; nicity, including free education through An important focus for the Syrian gov- Foreign Minister of Nicaragua’s Sandinista government. college, free health care and food sub- ernment is a reconciliation agency which sidies. However, she said, the country tries to rescue Syrians trapped in terri- Available at all major online booksellers. is being systematically destroyed by the tory controlled by the terrorists, offering PentagonAchillesHeel.com Page 10 Oct. 20, 2016 workers.org

editorials Trump, Clinton Workers to sexist bosses: and Syria Our regular readers know this paper Clinton, other Democratic politicians considers Donald Trump a racist, xe- and the bulk of the corporate media leapt HANDS OFF! nophobic, Islamophobic misogynist, a all over Trump for being too close to the billionaire capitalist who inflated his in- Russians, too soft on Syrian President We have heard from Donald Trump’s fying stories flooding in, overwhelming- herited fortune by building casinos, ma- Bashar al-Assad, etc. own mouth his disgusting, unrelenting, ly from female workers, about managers nipulating real estate and short-changing Here is where the danger exists. The unrepentant commitment to hating, de- who offered them money for sex or ig- workers. The worst fascists worldwide are insistence of these media — which for the grading and sexually abusing women. It nored their pleas when male co-workers drawn to his campaign, hoping to grow in most part support Clinton against Trump could be the last straw for his presidential showed them photos of their genitals. its wake. — can lead to two possible politi­cal errors campaign. Needless to say, appealing to the “parent” What about when Trump talks peace? for those who are both anti-racist and Now, on to the other anti-woman, corporation yielded no help. It’s just demagogy. His alleged opposition anti-imperialist. We should avoid these anti-worker bosses! The struggle against sexual harassment to the invasion of Iraq came long after it errors. That’s what Fight for $15 is saying and and rape began millennia ago, when pa- happened. He is as apt as his rival to push One is to condemn Russia and Syria doing in a campaign against sexual ha- triarchy arose at the same time as classes, the war button. because you think this pig Trump is with rassment that began on Oct. 5 against Mc- and women and gender-nonconforming We want to make our position clear, them. No. He isn’t. Russia and the Syrian Donald’s, the fast food chain employing people were subjected to male ruling class because the corporate media have spun government are defending Syria’s sover- 1.9 million low-wage workers worldwide. privilege. In the U.S., sexual terror — and some of the comments in the Oct. 9 pres- eignty against what is really a concerted Fight for $15 is best known for organizing the fightback against it — has been a fact idential debate in a perverse way: They imperialist attack. (See article page 9.) to raise the minimum wage and secure a of working women’s lives, from enslaved attack Trump for lashing out at Hillary Trump sees an opportunity to profit from union for low-wage workers. African women to domestic workers, Clinton’s warmongering. people’s weariness with a costly, unpop- Fast food workers are notoriously un- from farmhouse to assembly line, in blue In the framework of the debate, Clinton ular war. derpaid and overworked. Like a growing collar, pink collar and white collar work, was identified with voting for the war on The other is to believe that somehow preponderance of U.S. workers, they are from South, North, East to West. Iraq, pushing the war against Libya — she Trump is the “lesser evil” because on mostly young, largely women and people It took a campaign as recently as the reveled over Moammar Gadhafi’s murder Sunday he exposed Clinton’s warmon- of color, often LGBTQ, perhaps disabled, 1960s by women’s liberation and civil — leading the charge against Syria and gering. That would be completely wishful with fewer resources to fall back on if rights activists to get sexual coercion at a casting Russia as U.S. enemy No. 1. thinking and would destroy solidarity they lose their jobs. That makes them es- job recognized as “illegal.” That enabled Trump said that Iraq was a disaster. (It with those in the U.S. who are resisting pecially vulnerable to abuse of all kinds, workers to go to the federal EEOC for certainly was for the Iraqis.) He said Lib- racism and Islamophobia — who will be including sexual harassment and rape. some protection. ya was a “failed state” where ­al-Qaida-like the best fighters against the next war. Research shows that fast food workers Now a new front of struggle has opened militias run the show. He said that the Is- Neither of these candidates is a “lesser are 60 percent more likely to be sexually up at actual workplaces, as McDonald’s lamic State group and al-Qaida were the evil,” and whichever of them wins the elec- harassed than workers elsewhere. And 42 fast food workers in 30 cities picketed opposition in Syria. He suggested an ac- tion will have to be battled in the shops, percent of them have had to endure that against sexual harassment at their job cord with Russia to fight these “terrorists.” schools, hospitals, plants and streets. harassment for fear they’d lose their jobs sites on Oct. 6. if they fought back. The class struggle is rapidly accel- Now these workers are saying: No more! erating with the intertwining of work- Fifteen McDonald’s workers, under the ing-class organizing, LGBTQ leadership, which led to some progressive positions the FARC, has been the most important banner of #Fightfor15, have filed charges women’s liberation issues and the fight to on gender questions. impediment to the profit-hungry trans- against the burger chain through the U.S. make Black and Brown lives matter. On the other side, the “Yes” campaign national corporations’ takeover of the Equal Employment Opportunity Com- Bosses, you are being served notice: failed to launch a successful campaign Colombian people’s land and wealth. mission. They assert they were subjected No more grabbing. No more rape or sex- explaining the accord in detail and de- This was illustrated by a casual con- to “inappropriate — and illegal — sexu- ual coercion. No more racism. No more fending it. versation this writer had on Sept. 19 with al contact, innuendo and propositions” LGBT-phobia. No more anti-disability. Despite Uribe’s reactionary actions to the owner of a small souvenir stand in Bo- while working for the corporation. We mean it: We’re going to take your sabotage the agreement, President San- gotá. The owner, a woman from one of the Those abstract words mask the horri- hands off our bodies and our lives! tos invited him to the presidential house coastal regions, said that she was going to “negotiate” and promised to listen to to vote “Yes” because she wanted peace DC’s proposals. That really means to re- in her country. She said that she was no negotiate the agreement. friend of the FARC because she had rela- Colombian plebiscite, Renegotiation represents a danger to tives who were victims of the insurgency. the peace process since the DC’s changes She, nevertheless, acknowledged the role will be aimed at punishment of the guer- of the FARC in preventing the transna- a dangerous detour to peace rillas and prohibiting the legal and pub- tional corporations from stealing land. lic political role of demobilized FARC-EP Massive protest backs agreement members. By Berta Joubert-Ceci caused some people who were originally We should remember that when Uribe At this point, it’s not only the oligarchy planning to vote “Yes” to stay home, con- that decides which route for the peace Colombia’s Oct. 2 plebiscite rejecting was president, he negotiated for amnes- sidering their vote unnecessary. process. Outraged by the result of the the Final Agreement that the FARC-EP ty for demobilized paramilitaries who Most important was the nasty disinfor- plebiscite, a group of young people imme- [Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de had committed proven crimes against mation campaign led by ex-president Ál- diately took to the streets demanding the Colombia-Ejército del Pueblo] and the humanity. Uribe himself is a known varo Uribe’s right-wing Democratic Center establishment of the Final Agreement. Colombian government signed after four criminal responsible for massacres, drug (DC) — a fiercely pro-paramilitary party Under the hashtag of #PazAlaCalle, they years of difficult peace talks in Havana, trafficking, illegal phone tapping, dis- opposed to the peace process. Juan Carlos started organizing through social media Cuba, dangerously rerouted the peace placing thousands of poor people and Vélez, the head of Uribe’s “No” campaign, to demonstrate support for the signed process in that country. killing innocent people in the zone of So- exposed the DC strategy in an Oct. 5 inter- agreement in the streets. It must be stated that the narrow rejec- acha. There, youth were killed and then view with the newspaper La República: By the thousands, people in Colombia tion — 49.77 percent for “Yes” and 50.22 dressed up in FARC uniforms. “We discovered the viral power of so- on Oct. 5 held what has been called the for “No” — in no way reflects the will of Now Uribe is a senator in Colombia’s cial networks. For example, on a visit to largest protest in years. Sixteen cities par- the Colombian people. By itself, although legislature, enjoying complete impunity. Apartadó, Antioquia, a counsellor gave ticipated. A permanent — and growing — “legal,” the vote is illegitimate. me a photo of [President Juan Manuel] Divisions in the oligarchy encampment has been established in the Why? Santos and [FARC commander] ‘Timo- The plebiscite result actually under- centrally located Plaza Bolívar in Bogotá. First of all, only 37 percent of those reg- chenko’ with a message of why would you scores divisions within the Colombian Juan David Ojeda, one of the protest- istered exercised their right to vote. There give money to the guerrillas if the country oligarchy. Uribe represents the big land- ers, told teleSUR, “We invite young people were regions in the northern coast where was in the pot [i.e., poor]. I posted it on my owners and cattle-raising wealthy class, to set aside the social networks and come people could not even get to election booths Facebook and last Saturday had 130,000 who are afraid of the impact on their to Plaza Bolívar, to parks and other sce- because of flooding caused by Hurricane [people] sharing it, reaching six million businesses of the Final Agreement. What narios of public use, to enforce an agree- Matthew. These were places where the people. … The strategy was to not explain impacts them is the part of the Agrarian ment soon; we do not need more war.” “Yes” vote was expected to predominate. the agreements [and instead], focus the Pact that calls for distribution of land to Protests and events on behalf of the How legitimate can this result be when message on the outrage.” (larepublica.co) small peasants and compensation to the agreement have, since then, occurred the regions on the periphery — which This strategy was devised with different victims of the conflict. in different places in the country. Me- have the most victims of the armed con- deceptive messages to appeal to different Santos, on the other hand, represents dellín, Uribe’s stronghold and one of the flict — voted “Yes” to the accord? Yet the regions and social strata. the segment of the oligarchy that wants to cities with almost 63 percent “No” votes, plebiscite was decided by the zones less Then there was the religious sector establish the mining megaprojects and the held a massive mobilization on Oct. 7 impacted by the war and with fewer vic- that actively organized against the agree- industrialization of the Colombian econ- under the slogan: “Peace belongs to us.” tims, those in the center of the country. ment because it raised questions of gen- omy. This sector needs the “peace of the Youth called the action, which many civ- Why the ‘No’ vote won der and women and because the LGBTQ cemetery” to attract foreign companies. ic groups, university people, women, war Polls taken before the election an- community actively participated in the Up to now, the armed insurgency, both victims and members of the LGBTQ com- nounced a 70 percent vote for “Yes.” That development of the Final Agreement, the National Liberation Army (ELN) and munity supported. workers.org Oct. 20, 2016 Page 11 Women strike in Poland for abortion rights

By Sue Davis became legal in Poland, several decades ception to natural death,” adding, “But before that happened in Western Europe we do not support rules that would pun- Black flooded the streets of Warsaw and the U.S. The April 8, 2011, Guardian ish women who have an abortion.” The and 60 other Polish cities on Oct. 3. It reported abortion “was available on de- Polish parliament then overwhelmingly is estimated that upwards of 6 million mand by the 1960s.” rejected the ban — 352 to 58. Prime Min- women, dressed in black to symbolize Oct. 3, Warsaw, But after capitalism was restored in ister Beata Szydlo announced plans for mourning for their reproductive rights, Poland. Poland in the 1990s, workplace childcare more “modest” restrictions later this year marched to strike against a law that and all kinds of state support for family and for more money to help families with would ban all abortions. care were cut, so that today 42 disabled children. (The Guardian, Oct. 6) “I have never seen such huge protests,” percent of Polish women don’t wrote Krystyna Kacpura, director of the work outside the home or those Access to abortion Federation for Women and Family Plan- who do must work part-time. is a basic human right ning in Poland in an Oct. 6 Guardian According to the Guardian, “In The women organizing the protest op-ed. “Something snapped in Polish 1993 the church was suddenly called it a strike, inspired by the Icelandic women; we are empowered and we won’t re-emboldened and managed strike for women’s rights on Oct. 24, 1975, stop. The protests were so spontaneous: in concert with the rightwing which involved 90 percent of the adult fe- with barely a few days’ notice thousands to change the abortion law male population. In addition to solidarity of women were walking out of work, and from the world’s most open to actions in Iceland, women demonstrated if they couldn’t get the day off, many told one of the most restrictive.” in Berlin, Brussels, Dusseldorf, Belfast, me, they said to their bosses they would pregnant due to rape or incest, whose Truth be told, the resurgence of the London and Paris, as well as in other cit- not return because they could not work health and life are at risk, or if the fetus Catholic Church was hardly “sudden.” ies in France, Taiwan, Russia and global- alongside people who did not believe in is severely deformed. Because the law is The church had been fighting tooth and ly in the “Twittersphere.” their rights.” among the most restrictive in Europe, nail against socialism ever since libera- There was a ripple effect in the U.S., Proposed by the ruling Law and Jus- with the exception of total bans in Malta tion from the Nazis. Beginning in 1980, it where the right to legal, accessible abor- tice party (PiS) and supported by the and the Vatican, only about 2,000 legal supported the anti-communist leader of tion is under attack from Republican can- Catholic Church (87 percent of Poles be- abortions are performed yearly. Howev- “Solidarity,” Lech Walesa, who led a del- didates Donald Trump and Mike Pence. long to it), the law would criminalize all er, it is estimated that 50,000 are per- egation in 1981 to meet with Pope John The quote from Krystyna Kacpura was abortions, punishing women who have formed illegally, while up to 100,000 Pol- Paul II — born Karol Wojtyla in Poland. posted on the Center for Reproductive them and the doctors who perform them ish women seek the procedure in other The “Polish Pope” was highly favored by Rights’ website (crr.org) on Oct. 7. CRR with up to five years in jail. Not only could European countries. (Reuters, Oct. 3) U.S. imperialism, bolstering its plan to noted that it had worked with Kacpura’s miscarriages be investigated, but doctors kick communism out of Poland and the organization in the past and hoped to would be unable to perform prenatal When abortion was legal in Poland rest of Eastern Europe. continue in the future. tests, do Caesareans or treat women with But that was not always the case. Af- But this sudden uprising of Polish The right to abortion is a basic human conditions like pre-eclampsia for fear the ter the Soviet Red Army liberated East- women has disrupted the church’s plans. right. That was validated last March by fetus might die and they would go to jail. ern Europe from Nazi rule at the end of Immediately before the parliamentary Juan E. Méndez, U.N. special rapporteur (Washington Post, Oct. 3) World War II, governments were set up vote on Oct. 6, three days after the wom- on torture, who defined denial of access Even under the current law, abortions whose stated goal was socialism and en’s strike, the bishops’ conference issued to abortion as “torture.” The rising of Pol- are allowed only for women who are gender equality. Abortion eventually a statement supporting “life from con- ish women has affirmed that right.

In ominous move Justice denied to victims of nukes EUA continúa subversión By Chris Fry lands that could not sustain increased contra Cuba On a Sunday after church in 1946, a population, so many Navy commodore met with the people of starved. The people Continúa de página 12 Bikini Atoll and told them they were like were told they could cado en Granma señala que estos proyec- the Israelites, a chosen people, and that return to their is- tos están “dirigidos a la creación de su- perfecting the atomic bomb would deliv- lands when the tests puestos líderes y agentes de cambio que er humankind from future wars. Within were completed, but no tienen nada en común con el proyecto one month of that conversation, Bikin- the radioactive fall- social de la Revolución cubana ... ians boarded U.S. ships for relocation. out made those is- “El Presidente de la [Federación de Es- Within five months, the first two tests lands permanently tudiantes Universitarios], Abel Mayea, had been conducted. “We located the one uninhabitable. Many afirmó categóricamente: “No hay moti- spot on Earth that hadn’t been touched of the people also vos ocultos en las becas otorgadas. Está by the war and blew it to hell,” Bob Hope suffered from a huge claro que nos quieren someter. Cuba no reportedly once said. (washingtonpost. increase in cancer se opone a los intercambios, las cuales com, Nov. 27) and birth defects. deben llevarse a cabo con respeto y con Bikini Atoll is a string of islands in the In 1983, the Mar- total apego a la institucionalidad. No territory of the Marshall Islands — a na- shall Islands final- serán capaces de ofrecer más de lo que la tion in the Pacific Ocean of some 55,000 ly won its independence. And in 2014, that many countries favored drafting a Revolución nos ha dado en 58 años.’”(29 Polynesian people. The thriving Polyne- mindful of the terrible consequences of convention to ban nuclear arsenals, much de septiembre) sian culture for hundreds of years spread the Pentagon’s nuclear testing on their like the treaties that prohibit chemical, La constitución cubana garantiza el from Tahiti to Hawaii, spanning many people, the Marshall Islands government biological and other weapons of mass de- derecho a la educación, y el 23 por cien- thousands of miles. At the end of World filed suit, first in U.S. federal court and struction.” (nytimes.com, Oct. 6) to del presupuesto nacional de Cuba está War II, the U.S. took control of the Mar- then in the United Nations Internation- By a vote of 9 to 7, the International dedicada a ella. Una pronto-a-ser licen- shall Islands as a “trust territory” — in al Court of Justice, demanding that all Court of Justice, the U.N. court in The ciada en ingeniería civil señaló que “en other words, a colony. The Pentagon de- countries possessing nuclear weapons, Hague, ruled on Oct. 6 that it did not have estos cinco años nuestra Revolución ha cided that its isolated position made it the such as the U.S., abide by their obliga- jurisdiction to hear the case. “It’s difficult garantizado todos mis estudios, de forma ideal location to test nuclear bombs: first tions under the 1968 Nuclear Nonprolif- to understand that it finds no jurisdic- gratuita, por lo que no necesitamos nin- atomic bombs and then hydrogen bombs. eration Treaty, particularly the treaty’s tion even when the parties have ‘opposite guna beca de los EUA.” On March 2, 1954, the U.S. detonat- Article VI. views,’” said lawyer Phon van den Biesen, La Directora de Asuntos estadoun- ed the “Castle Bravo,” a 15-megaton hy- Article VI commits nuclear weapon citing a definition that the court uses for idenses en Cuba, Josefina Vidal, dijo du- drogen bomb on Bikini Atoll. The blast states like the U.S. to “pursue negotia- cases it hears. rante una sesión de Preguntas y Respues- was 1,500 times more powerful than the tions in good faith on effective measures In fact, the U.S government had already tas en Twitter, “Insistimos una vez más bomb the U.S. had dropped on Hiroshi- relating to cessation of the nuclear arms signaled it would ignore any court decision que la financiación de los programas des- ma. Its flash could be seen in Okinawa, race at an early date and to nuclear disar- that might impede its military buildup. At tinados a provocar un cambio interno en 2,600 miles away. mament, and on a treaty on general and the same time that it is trying to bully the Cuba debe ser eliminado, lo que sería un Every year, the Indigenous people of complete disarmament under strict and Democratic People’s Republic of Korea out paso esencial hacia una relación normal”. the Marshall Islands mark March 2 as effective international control.” (arms- of testing nuclear weapons to defend itself Por el año 25avo consecutivo, la Asam- “Nuclear Victims Remembrance Day.” control.org) from a threatened U.S. attack, the Penta- blea General de las Naciones Unidas va Between 1946 and 1958, the U.S. deto- Lawyers for the Marshall Islands said gon has announced a $1 trillion program a votar a favor de la resolución de Cuba: nated 67 nuclear bombs in the Marshall the goal of the suit was “to persuade the to “modernize” its vast arsenal, which “La necesidad de poner fin al bloqueo Islands, 23 of them on Bikini Atoll. Resi- court to order serious disarmament talks currently contains 7,100 nuclear bombs. económico, comercial y financiero im- dents had been moved to neighboring is- that were long overdue. They also said (armscontrol.org,Aug. 1) puesto por los EUA contra Cuba”. Correspondencia sobre artículos en Workers World/Mundo Obrero pueden ser enviadas a: [email protected]

¡Proletarios y oprimidos de todos los paises unios! workers.org Vol. 58 Núm. 41 20 de octubre 2016 $1 Plebiscito colombiano, un desvío peligroso para la paz Por Berta Joubert-Ceci Una evaluación inicial FARC porque tenía parientes que fueron víctimas de la insurgencia, sin embargo, Los resultados del plebiscito del 2 de No, expuso su estrategia en una entrevis- humanidad. El propio Uribe es un crim- reconoció el papel de las FARC en la pre- octubre en Colombia respecto a la acepta- ta con el diario La República: inal responsable de masacres, tráfico de vención del robo de la tierra por empre- ción o no del Acuerdo Final firmado por “Descubrimos el poder viral de las re- drogas, escuchas telefónicas ilegales, de- sas transnacionales. las FARC-EP y el gobierno de Colombia des sociales. Por ejemplo, en una visita splazamiento de miles de personas po- después de cuatro años de difíciles con- a Apartadó, Antioquia, un concejal me bres y de la muerte de personas inocentes Movilizaciones en las calles versaciones de paz en La Habana, Cuba, pasó una imagen de Santos y ‘Timochen- en la zona de Soacha donde jóvenes eran Pero ahora no le corresponde única- pueden peligrosamente desviar el proce- ko’ con un mensaje de por qué se le iba a asesinados y luego vestidos con el uni- mente a la oligarquía decidir cuál es la so de paz en ese país. dar dinero a los guerrilleros si el país es- forme de las FARC. Ahora Uribe es un ruta del proceso de paz. Indignados por Es preciso señalar que el voto, 49,77 taba en la olla. Yo la publiqué en mi Face- senador en la legislatura de Colombia, los resultados del plebiscito, un grupo por ciento para el “Sí”, y 50,22 para el book y al sábado pasado tenía 130.000 disfrutando de total impunidad. de jóvenes inmediatamente salieron a “No”, de ninguna manera reflejan la vol- compartidos con un alcance de seis El resultado del plebiscito realmente las calles para exigir el establecimien- untad del pueblo colombiano, y aunque millones de personas...... la estrategia pone de relieve las divisiones dentro de la to del Acuerdo Final. Bajo el hashtag de “legal”, no es legítimo. era dejar de explicar los acuerdos para oligarquía colombiana. Uribe representa #PazAlaCalle, empezaron a organizar ¿Por qué? centrar el mensaje en la indignación”. los grandes terratenientes y ganaderos a través de las redes sociales para dem- En primer lugar, sólo el 37 por ciento (­Larepublica.co) Esta estrategia fue ide- que temen el impacto en sus negocios del ostrar el apoyo en las calles para el acu- de las/os votantes registrados ejerció ese ada con diferentes mensajes engañosos acuerdo definitivo entre las FARC y el go- erdo firmado. derecho. Hubo regiones de la costa norte, para atraer a las diferentes regiones y es- bierno. En particular, la parte agraria de Por miles, el 5 de octubre, las y los co- donde la gente no pudo incluso ir a la cab- tratos sociales. los acuerdos que llama a la distribución lombianos se manifestaron en lo que ha ina de votación debido a las inundaciones Luego estaba el sector religioso que de tierras para las/os pequeños campes- sido la mayor protesta en años recientes. causadas por el huracán Mateo. Estos eran organizó activamente contra el acuerdo inos y la compensación a las víctimas del Dieciséis ciudades participaron y un per- lugares donde se esperaba que el voto Sí debido al enfoque de género del convenio conflicto. manente - y creciente - campamento se predominara. ¿Qué legitimidad tiene este - las mujeres y la comunidad LGBTQ par- Santos, por el contrario, representa el ha establecido en la céntrica Plaza Bolí- resultado cuando las regiones periféricas ticiparon activamente para el desarrollo segmento de la oligarquía que quiere es- var en Bogotá. y la mayoría de las víctimas del conflicto de un resultado sumamente progresista tablecer los megaproyectos mineros y la Juan David Ojeda, uno de los manifes- armado votaron Sí, y sin embargo, el plebi- del Acuerdo Final. industrialización de la economía colom- tantes, declaró en una entrevista con Te- scito fue decidido por las zonas menos La campaña del Sí, por otro lado no biana por lo que necesita la “paz de los ce- lesur, “Invitamos a los jóvenes a que dejen afectadas por la guerra y con el menor pudo lanzar una campaña exitosa para menterios” para atraer a las empresas ex- a un lado las redes sociales y vengan a la número de víctimas, el centro del país? explicar el acuerdo en detalle. tranjeras. La insurgencia armada, tanto Plaza Bolívar, a parques y otros escenar- ¿Cuáles fueron las razones? A pesar de estos hechos, el presidente el ELN y las FARC, hasta ahora han sido ios de uso público para exigir un acuerdo Las encuestas antes de las elecciones Juan Manuel Santos invitó a Uribe a la el obstáculo más importante que impide pronto, no necesitamos más la guerra”. anunciaban una victoria del 70 por cien- casa presidencial para “negociar” y es- la total toma de control de las tierras y las Las protestas y eventos en pro del acu- to para el Sí; lo que hizo que alguna gente cuchar las propuestas del CD el cual pro- riquezas de las/os colombianos por parte erdo desde entonces se han producido en que tenía previsto votar por el Sí se ab- pone renegociar el acuerdo. Esto repre- de la sed de ganancias de corporaciones diferentes lugares del país. En Medellín, stuvieran, pensando que su voto no sería senta un peligro para el proceso de paz ya transnacionales. la fortaleza de Uribe y una de las ciu- necesario. que se basa principalmente en el castigo Esto quedó ilustrado por una conver- dades con más votos por el No - casi el 63 Luego, y lo más importante, fue la ter- de la guerrilla y la prohibición de que ten- sación casual que esta escritora sostuvo por ciento - llevó a cabo una masiva mov- rible campaña de desinformación dirigi- gan un papel político legal y público lxs el 19 de septiembre con una comerciante ilización el pasado viernes 7 de Oct. bajo da por el derechista Centro Democrático desmovilizados de las FARC-EP. de un pequeño puesto de suvenires en el lema “La paz nos pertenece” iniciado (CD) del ex presidente Álvaro Uribe - un No hay que olvidar que cuando Uribe Bogotá. La propietaria, una mujer de una por la juventud y con el apoyo de muchas feroz pro-paramilitarista opuesto al pro- fue presidente, negoció por la amnistía de las regiones costeras, dijo que iba a otras organizaciones cívicas, universitar- ceso de paz. El pasado 5 de octubre, Juan de los paramilitares desmovilizados que votar Sí porque quería la paz en su país. ias, de la mujer, de víctimas y miembrxs Carlos Vélez, gerente de la campaña del cometieron crímenes probados de lesa Afirmando que ella no era amiga de las dela comunidad LGBT.

EUA continúa subversión contra Cuba

Por Cheryl LaBash que establece que si las/os cubanos llega- programas de subversión en Cuba, sin jóvenes latinoamericanos para tratar de ron a la costa de Estados Unidos en bar- la aprobación o consentimiento de Cuba. identificar a la juventud cubana abierta a A pesar de las discusiones bilaterales co serían considerados refugiados. Los La Agencia de los Estados Unidos para la propaganda pro-capitalista. en curso y acuerdos de beneficio mutuo que son interceptados en el mar serían el Desarrollo Internacional informa: “el La juventud cubana se reunió para ex- entre EUA y Cuba después del anuncio devueltos a Cuba. La aplicación de la LAC congreso de Estados Unidos asignó $55 poner el Programa de Aprendizaje Mun- del 17 de diciembre del 2014, por ambos y pies mojados/pies secos se aplica tanto millones para programas de Cuba, entre dial-que suena inocente y el Programa de países que restablecieron las relaciones a la discreción del presidente de EUA. los años fiscales del 2009 al 2011; USAID Liderazgo de Verano para la concesión diplomáticas, EUA ha continuado fondos Como Presidenta de Mujeres Haitia- manejó cerca de $31 millones de este a la juventud cubana, que es financiado y programas que promueven la intención nas de Miami, Marlein Bastie señaló que monto, mientras que el Departamento por el Departamento de Estado de EUA. de socavar y revertir las relaciones las condiciones en Haití son peores que de Estado manejó el resto. También, $20 El 28 de septiembre los estudiantes en económicas socialistas elegidas por el las condiciones en Cuba. millones han sido asignados para el año Santiago de Cuba y en Ciego de Ávila con- pueblo cubano. Otra constante violación de la sober- fiscal del 2012.” (1 de abril de 2011) La denaron las maniobras del gobierno de El programa de radio haitiana wpf- anía de Cuba es el programa de Libertad llamada Fundación Nacional para la De- Estados Unidos que intentan manipular wfm.org Konbit Lakay reportó el 24 de Condicional Médica Cubana Profesion- mocracia asignó más de $3 millones en el a la juventud cubana. Un artículo publi- septiembre, sobre la creciente crisis en la al en vigor desde el 2006. (tinyurl.com/ 2015 solo. (Ned.org) frontera mexicana, debido a la decisión CMPPprogram) Totalmente a discreción Estos programas incluyen uno dirigi- Continúa a página 11 de la administración Obama para recha- del presidente, esta fuga de cerebros at- do por el contratista de la USAID zar a miles de refugiadas/os haitianos allí rae a las/os profesionales de la medicina Alan Gross, que instala dispos- y para intensificar las deportaciones. El que disfrutaron de una educación gratu- itivos de comunicación de grado anfitrión comparó estas acciones hostiles ita en Cuba, a abandonar las misiones in- militar en tres ciudades cuban- a la condición preferencial concedida a ternacionalistas y venir a EUA. Muchas/ as; la desaparecida operación de los cubanos que entran a EUA. os de los que aceptan el cebo encuentran EUA de un sistema de comuni- La Ley de Ajuste Cubano de 1966 con- que es muy difícil conseguir la licencia cación de tipo Twitter, promovida sidera automáticamente a todas/os los médica de Estados Unidos. (Newswork. a través de fachadas de negocios cubanos ser refugiados, se les ofrece ben- org, 24 de marzo) en terceros países para ocultar eficios sociales y estatus de residencia le- Los dólares fiscales de Estados Unidos a los títeres estadounidenses; gal permanente después de permanecer que se necesitan con urgencia para las programas destinados a hip-hop un año en EUA. En 1995, EUA instituyó necesidades humanas desde Flint-Mich- cubano; y un programa de edu- Libertad para Oscar López Rivera, ¡YA! la política de pies secos/pies mojados, igan a las Apalaches, se asignan a los cación sobre el SIDA, que usa a