AUSTRALIA $1.50 · canada $1.50 · france 1.00 euro · new zealand $1.50 · uk £.50 · u.s. $1.00 INSIDE Victory in bakery’s lawsuit against ‘racism’ smear by Oberlin College — PAGE 6 A SOCIALIST NEWSWEEKLY PUBLISHED IN THE INTERESTS OF WORKING PEOPLE vol. 83/no. 24 July 8, 2019 Vote to erase Speak out US hands off Iran! Calif. mural against bans End US economic war! is blow to art, on ‘Militant’ political rights in prisons! By Betsey Stone by seth galinsky and Jeff Powers Florida prison officials have banned SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. — In a at least eight of the last 12 issues of blow to artistic and political rights in the Militant. We say “at least” be- the name of “political correctness,” cause they don’t always inform us the the San Francisco School Board voted paper has been banned, even though to destroy the “Life of Washington” they are required by their own rules mural at George Washington High to do so. School here June 25. Their latest “reason”? They say we The huge fresco was painted in can’t write about our efforts to over- 1936 by noted muralist Victor Arn- turn their censorship. The impound- autoff, a protégé of Mexican mural- ment notice for the most recent issue, ist Diego Rivera and member of the no. 23, says it is banned because of the Communist Party. Commissioned by article “Fight against new censorship the government-funded Works Prog- of Militant in Florida prisons.” The ress Administration, it has 13 panels ban on issue no. 22 says a front-page and has been part of the lobby of the article “encourages protests against Militant/Carole Lesnick school for over eight decades. prison censorship.” June 24 protest action in Oakland, California, against U.S. threats, sanctions against Iran. The week before the vote, a special Several earlier issues of the paper US sanctions hit hardest Bring all US troops home school board hearing was held where were banned for writing about Albert against working people from Middle East now! over 150 people debated the proposal Woodfox, who spent more than 40 to destroy the mural. Those demand- years in solitary confinement in pris- by terry evans The following statement was issued ing its destruction argued that some on in Angola, Louisiana, framed up The U.S. government is stepping by David Rosenfeld, currently the So- of the images make the mural racist for a crime he did not commit. up threats to use its military might cialist Workers Party candidate for and glorify slavery and the genocide Woodfox wrote a book titled against Iran and tightening economic City Council in Minneapolis, June 21. of Native Americans. Solitary: My Story of Transformation sanctions whose consequences fall “Censorship creates precedents and Hope, an inspiring story of the heaviest on the Iranian working peo- Continued on page 3 Continued on page 4 ple. Washington’s latest pretext for SWP statement these steps to defend imperialist inter- ests in the Middle East is the June 20 The Socialist Workers Party de- shooting down of a U.S. surveillance mands: U.S. hands off Iran! U.S. Massive protests in Hong Kong drone by a unit of Tehran’s Revolu- troops out of the Middle East! End the tionary Guard. economic sanctions against the Ira- push back hated extradition bill President Trump wrote June 21 that nian people now! “we were cocked & loaded to retali- These calls take on added urgency Continued on page 9 Continued on page 9 ‘We demand: End US colonial rule over people of Puerto Rico’ The following is the statement by century. Are the big pharmaceutical Seth Galinsky given for the Social- companies there out of charity? No, ist Workers Party to the U.N. Special they are there for cheap labor and su- Committee on Decolonization at its perprofits. June 24 hearing on the colonial status The capitalists in the U.S. — with of Puerto Rico. Continued on page 4

Distinguished Madam Chairperson and committee members: My name is Seth Galinsky. I am the Inside Socialist Workers Party candidate for Former ‘wives,’ children of IS New York City public advocate. I join fighters held in Mideast camps 2 with those here today to demand that Reuters/Thomas Peter Washington take its boot off Puerto June 16 demonstration in Hong Kong drew some 2 million people, largest mobilization in Undocumented workers in NY history of former British colony. Beijing fears its impact on working people inside China. Rico. The fight for Puerto Rico’s inde- win right to driver’s licenses 5 pendence from colonial rule is in the by Roy Landersen city streets the next day calling for interests not only of the people of that Sudan military attacks protests In a victory for democratic and the bill to be permanently withdrawn. nation, but of working people every- demanding civilian gov’t 7 political rights, the biggest mobiliza- Many demanded Lam resign. where, especially in the U.S. tions in Hong Kong’s history forced Lam claimed the move was neces- If you were to believe the big-busi- Celebrate political life the city’s chief executive, Carrie Lam sary because the former British col- ness press, you’d think the Puerto Ri- of Joyce Meissenheimer 9 — after a meeting with top Chinese ony’s laws don’t allow extraditions to can people are living off the largesse officials — to suspend moves to pass mainland China or Taiwan. But work- of the U.S. government. But the oppo- –On the picket line, p. 5– a hated bill authorizing extradition ing people and youth saw this as a site is the case. U.S. corporations and Workers at Gate Gourmet, June 15. Some 2 million people out pretext to allow the regime in Beijing banks — finance capital — have been Sky Chefs fight for contract of a population of 7.4 million jammed Continued on page 3 bleeding Puerto Rico for more than a Former ‘wives,’ children of IS fighters held in Mideast camps BY STEVE PENNER old. According to UNICEF, they are Thousands of displaced former “among the world’s most vulnerable “wives” of Islamic State fighters, to- children [living] in appalling condi- gether with tens of thousands of chil- tions amid constant threats to their dren, many of them orphans, are being health, safety and well-being.” held in squalid, disease-infested camps Cholera, tuberculosis, dysentery and in Iraq and Syria. Their reintegration typhoid are rife in the camps, and the into society is an important challenge children are malnourished. Many show in charting a working-class road for- symptoms of post-traumatic stress dis- ward in the region. order, like vivid nightmares and the in- Many of the women were teenagers ability to speak. forced to be “child brides” or sex slaves Many of the women and even some by IS. Some were shot and wounded as of the children are being put on trial as they fled territories held by the reaction- Islamic State fighters. The women are ary Islamist outfit. often sentenced either to die by hang- Security forces refuse to allow most ing or to life imprisonment after “trials” of the women and children from Iraq or that often last no more than 10 minutes. AP Photo/Maya Alleruzzo Syria to return to their home cities. Oth- The Iraqi government provides no in- Thousands of women formerly “married” to Islamic State fighters and their children are being held in appalling conditions in al-Hol, above, and other detention camps in Syria and Iraq. ers come from outside the Middle East. formation on the number of women who A handful of their home countries have have been executed. However, New York vented from working when they be- tionary War 1956-58, published by taken back a tiny number of citizens, but Times reporters witnessed prosecution come adults. Without a valid birth cer- Pathfinder. The new department’s most won’t allow those who lived in ar- of 14 Turkish women accused of sup- tificate, newborns are unable to receive slogan was, “In the face of pain, the eas under Islamic State control to return. porting IS that took a combined total vaccinations in some areas. homeland makes no distinction. To They’re trapped in a stateless void. of two hours. All 14 women were sen- Thousands more children, being save a child is to build the homeland.” The Iraqi government in Baghdad, tenced to death. held in camps in Syria, face the same “Working-class organizations in the dominated by political parties based Women in the camps are targeted for fate. One of the largest of the Syr- Middle East and around the world need on sectarian Shiite-religious politics, sexual violence by militiamen and camp ian camps, al-Hol, is surrounded by to denounce the brutal treatment of the encourages forces that denounce the guards, including forced marriages. a chain-link fence and armed guards. wives and children of IS members,” women, the majority or whom are Sun- “These ‘marriages’ are just sex mar- Children make up at least two-thirds Alyson Kennedy, the 2016 presidential nis. “They should all be prosecuted or riages, but you can’t say no,” Muntahar, of its residents. Camp officials say they candidate of the Socialist Workers Party killed!” insisted Sheikh Mohammed a 16-year-old girl, told the Washington are too busy trying to provide tents and who was part of an SWP delegation to Nasser al-Bayati, a powerful Shiite Post. “Then they take you for a week, or food to offer schooling and recreation- Iraq this year, said June 13. “We should militia commander. for a few months, before throwing you al activities, or deal with children’s of- demand their immediate release from The European Union’s “anti-terror- back into the camp.” ten severe psychological problems. the detention camps with all documents ism” chief, Gilles de Kerchove, justi- An estimated 45,000 displaced chil- needed to freely live their lives and their fied the refusal of EU member states dren being held in camps in Iraq do not Contrast with revolutionary Cuba repatriation to safe conditions where to repatriate them, claiming the chil- have recognized birth certificates, the The contrast with how the children of they can receive the medical care, edu- dren may become “the next genera- Norwegian Refugee Council said. As the murdering and torturous cops and cation and social support they require.” tion of suicide bombers.” a result, they face exclusion from Iraqi troops of the bloody dictatorship of Ful- In April, Kennedy participated in Most of these supposedly danger- society, being barred from school, gencio Batista, overthrown by Cuba’s the Erbil International Book Fair in the ous children are younger than 12 years denied access to health care, and pre- 1959 revolution, were treated could not Kurdish region. Along with other lead- be more stark. ers of the SWP and Communist Leagues Brigadier General Teté Puebla, the in the United Kingdom and Canada, she highest-ranking woman in Cuba’s Rev- met with leaders of the Kurdish Com- olutionary Armed Forces in 1959, was munist Party and area trade unions. asked by Fidel Castro, the revolution’s “One of the key questions we dis- central leader, to head up the Depart- cussed,” Kennedy said, “is the necessity ment of Assistance to War Victims and for working-class fighters to act as Rus- their Families after taking power. sian revolutionary leader Vladimir Len- Defend a woman’s right to choose abortion! The children of Batista henchmen in explained more than a century ago, as In recent weeks sup- “were provided for the same as the ‘tribune[s] of the people … able to react children of the rebels,” Puebla says in to every manifestation of tyranny and porters of women’s rights her book, Marianas in Combat: Teté oppression, no matter where it appears, mounted the largest se- Puebla and the Mariana Grajales no matter what stratum or class of the ries of protests in a decade Women’s Platoon in Cuba’s Revolu- people it affects.’” across the U.S. in defense of women’s access to abor- $85 drawn on a U.S. bank to above address. tion. The ‘Militant’ sup- The Militant Africa, Asia, and the Middle East: For Vol. 83/No. 24 one year send $85 drawn on a U.S. bank to ports unrestricted access to above address. APPhoto/Rich Pedroncelli Closing news date: June 26, 2019 family planning, including Rally May 21, in Sacramento, Calif. pro- Canada: For one year send Canadian $45 safe and secure abortion. tests attacks on women’s right to choose. Editor: John Studer to the Militant, 7107 St. Denis #204, Mon- Editorial volunteers: Róger Calero, Terry treal, Quebec H2S 2S5. Evans, Seth Galinsky, Emma Johnson, Mar- United Kingdom: Send £26 for one year tín Koppel, Jacob Perasso, Brian Williams. by check or international money order made out to CL London, 5 Norman Road SUBSCRIBE TODAY! Published weekly except for one week in January, one week in June, one week in (first floor), Seven Sisters, London, N15 July, one week in September. 4ND, England. 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2 The Militant July 8, 2019 Vote on mural blow to rights Continued from front page be erased because it causes trauma and that will always come down hardest pain for Native American students. on the working class, including Afri- “No one has the right to tell us as na- can American, Latino, Native Ameri- tive people or our young people who can and Asian American working walk these halls every day how we people,” said Joel Britton, Socialist feel,” Flores said. “You’re not in our Workers candidate for mayor of San shoes, you don’t feel what they feel un- Francisco, who spoke and passed out less you are living it.” a statement at the meeting. Other speakers repeated this, im- “Censorship hands a weapon to plying that only the views of Native those who would target the strongest Americans and Black people should be fighters for our class and artists who weighed in the decision. One speaker are our allies,” he said. even discounted the views of all those Those supporting each side of the de- who spoke against censorship, saying bate were given 30 minutes to present they had a “colonizers’ mentality.” their view, with each speaker strictly But not all Native Americans at the limited to one minute. hearing called for destroying the mu- Among the first to speak was Lope ral. Robert Tamaka Bailey, an Okla- Scene from Victor Arnautoff’s mural “Life of Washington” depicting George Washington as slave owner. In a blow to artistic, political rights, San Francisco School Board voted June 25 to Yap Jr., vice president of George Wash- homa Choctaw and retired PG&E destroy the mural, which has been in George Washington High School lobby for eight decades. ington High School’s Alumni Associa- worker, spoke in defense of keeping tion, a group with thousands of mem- the mural. as a means of opposing what they call undermines that fight.” bers that has fought to save the mural. Andrea Morell of the Socialist Work- “cultural appropriation.” “Censorship makes it easier for that He pointed to the artistic value of the ers Party pointed to the broader trend “Shielding Native American and weapon to be used by reactionary forces work and the fact that the artist was an among liberals, including some who African American youth by effacing and the government against movements ally of oppressed peoples. “This is his- call themselves socialists, to attack this mural has nothing to do with the for social change or against the unions, tory,” he said. “We should learn from freedom of speech, freedom of assem- fight to eradicate exploitation and ra- as it inevitably has been and will be history, not cover it up.” bly and freedom of artistic expression cial oppression,” she said. “Instead it again,” she said. Speakers against censorship noted that the panels described as being rac- ist and demeaning of Native Ameri- cans and Black people were precisely Hong Kong protests push back extradiction bill those that Arnautoff painted in order to Continued from front page tests in Beijing that China’s military tear gas and making arrests. condemn slavery and the U.S. govern- legal cover to go after its political op- drowned in blood — in Hong Kong Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi ment’s treatment of Native Americans, ponents in the semi-autonomous re- nearly 200,000 demonstrated on the blamed “Western forces” for trying “to to puncture myths about Washington gion. The people of Hong Kong con- June 4 anniversary. sabotage Hong Kong’s stability.” The that were current in the 1930s. tinue to defend broad democratic and Frances Hui, a student from Hong China Daily condemned “foreign enti- One panel shows George Washing- political rights they first wrested from Kong at Emerson College in Boston, ties” for misleading youth. ton pointing west over the body of a the British rulers, rights which have helped organize a June 9 Boston ac- As the protests mushroomed, Lam — dead Native American, representing been suppressed in mainland China. tion in solidarity with the Hong Kong and top Beijing officials — were forced his push for settlement of lands that led Beijing has a history of secretly protests and spoke at a June 16 action to backpedal. This was the first major to the genocide of native people. An- abducting people from Hong Kong for in New York. She told the Militant June climbdown in Chinese President Xi Jin- other portrays Black slaves working detention and “trial” on the mainland, as 21 that thousands attended solidarity ping’s career. The Chinese rulers acted Washington’s large plantation in Mt. with five booksellers in 2015 who sold events in “29 cities in 12 countries.” to derail any impact on workers on the Vernon, Virginia. literature critical of top Beijing officials. The protests were large, Hui said, mainland and in Taiwan and any effect Battles over proposed destruction of Even some major capitalists with because of Beijing’s encroachment on on Beijing’s trade dispute and longer- politically influenced art have marked close ties to the Chinese rulers opposed “human rights and freedoms.” The bill term rivalry with Washington. San Francisco politics before. During the law, worried they could be in dan- would have meant “people who fled to In 1997 Hong Kong represented a the 1950s McCarthyite witch hunt, con- ger if Chinese officials decided to go Hong Kong after the [Tiananmen] mas- fifth of total Chinese economic output, gressional hearings were held over de- after them in one of their periodic crack- sacre wouldn’t be safe.” The city, she but after rapid capitalist expansion in mands to destroy an extensive series of downs on “corruption.” said, “would become much closer to China, it is less than 3% today. Shang- murals painted in the 1940s by Anton The British imperialists made Hong how the rest of China is operated.” hai is now the busiest port in the world. Refregier in the Rincon Annex Post Of- Kong a colony in 1841 after defeat- But the island city still channels about Unions join Hong Kong protests fice. One of those who had recommend- ing China’s rulers in the First Opium two-thirds of overseas investment to ed Refregier as the artist was Arnautoff. War. Even after the victory of the Chi- The Hong Kong Confederation of the mainland. It is still a hub for south- Refregier was castigated in Congress nese Revolution in 1949, Hong Kong Trade Unions encouraged its members ern China including the major cities of for painting panels depicting the histor- remained under British rule. It was not to join the protests. “The extradition bill Shenzhen and Guangzhou. The rulers in Beijing worried that ic 1934 longshore workers strike and for until 1997 that the capitalist island was is very dangerous for Hong Kong peo- ple, especially workers,” Confederation the protests in Hong Kong could spur images that presented Native Ameri- returned to China under a “one country, Education Secretary Stanley Ho told actions by workers in China resisting cans as “vigorous and strong.” The Cal- two systems” arrangement. It has spe- Reuters June 12. speedup, low wages and government ifornia American Legion called for the cial administrative region status meant As opposition to the extradition bill repression. All the news in the capitalist mural’s destruction because they would to last for at least 50 years. Under the mounted, Lam at first kept pushing to press about developments in China and expose school children who toured the deal, Beijing controls Hong Kong’s mili- adopt it. But anger mounted after cops Beijing’s competition with Washington facility to scenes that unfairly slandered tary and foreign affairs. clashed with some protesters who had for economic supremacy avoid this, the “the true history of our state.” Hong Kong, a deep-water port and surrounded the Legislative Council real factor that will affect the future — Despite the censorship campaign, the tied to the world capitalist banking and Building, firing rubber bullets and the rise of the class struggle. mural was never destroyed. financial markets, was especially im- portant to the Stalinist regime in Bei- Debate over Washington High mural jing as it opened up China to foreign The proposal to destroy the Washing- capitalist investment and promoted Now available ... ton High mural was made by a “Reflec- Chinese capital. tion and Action Group” of 13 members Working people and youth in Hong Tribunes of the People that was convened by the Board of Edu- Kong have stood up to numerous at- cation after several parents complained tempts to close down democratic rights. and the Trade Unions about the mural’s contents. One of the In 2014, students, trade unions and other first to complain was Amy Anderson, a supporters of political rights took to the A tribune of the people uses every member of the Ahkaamay Mowin tribe, streets in what became known as the manifestation of capitalist oppression to who spoke at the hearing. “umbrella revolution,” demanding the explain why it’s workers and our allies “Everything in it is based on people right to directly elect government offi- who can and will — in the course of who are white,” Anderson said. “To- cials and in opposition to Beijing’s inter- struggles by the unions and beyond — day is a good day for all of us who are vention in Hong Kong affairs. lay the foundations for a world based abused in these panels.” The year before, dockworkers went not on violence and competition but Paloma Flores, director of the San on strike demanding better pay and on solidarity among working people Francisco Unified School District’s In- working conditions at what was then the worldwide. dian Education program and a leader of world’s third busiest container port. the campaign to paint over the mural, ar- And unlike mainland China — where $8 gued at the hearing that the panel show- the regime bans commemorations of the www.pathfinderpress.com ing the dead Native American should massive 1989 Tiananmen Square pro-

The Militant July 8, 2019 3 ‘End US rule over Puerto Rico’ Continued from front page understand what was done to the Puerto their junior partners on the island — Rican people, including the thousands make billions by keeping wages in still living in homes without roofs or ad- Puerto Rico down, by buying up the equate drinking water or electricity. island’s resources cheap and selling Here in the U.S., as in Puerto Rico, dear. By squeezing its people through we face attacks by the bosses and a debt that is immoral and unpayable. their government on our jobs, wages, We support the demand to open the health care, and pensions, as well as books to the scrutiny of an elected unending imperialist wars abroad. committee of Puerto Rico’s working What the U.S. rulers do to working people. And we join with others to people in Puerto Rico is the same they say: Cancel the debt now! All of it! do to us here, only worse because of What working people need is not colonial rule. dependency on demeaning welfare Like our brothers and sisters in programs, but jobs. The governments Puerto Rico, we are not victims — in the U.S. and on the island keep cut- we’re looking for ways to stand up ting social necessities, while refusing and fight. That’s why I have joined to fund a massive public works pro- numerous actions, from pickets by gram that would put people to work at union nurses fighting for better health union-scale wages, building the things care, to protests defending women’s UTIER we need: from decent, affordable hous- right to choose abortion, demanding May 1 union protest in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Front placard says, “No more Promesa” — the U.S.-imposed law demanding Puerto Rico pay its foreign debt — and “No more lies.” ing to mass transit and hospitals. amnesty for immigrant workers, and Even the much-vaunted food stamps saying: U.S. hands off Venezuela, Distinguished committee members, has caused — under Democrats and are used to enrich U.S. agribusiness at Cuba, and Iran. No one is asking you to liberate Republicans alike — but to speak with the expense of Puerto Rico’s working A successful struggle for Puerto Puerto Rico. That will be done by the fellow working people and youth about farmers. When the people of Puerto Rico’s independence will strengthen people of Puerto Rico themselves. their struggles and to bring solidarity. Rico take power out of the hands of the working people in the U.S. in the fight And they will have the solidarity of Not just in San Juan but in towns and capitalist class, kick out the fiscal board against our common exploiters. their brothers and sisters in the U.S. rural areas. The Socialist Workers Par- and make their country independent of Cuba’s socialist revolution is liv- and around the world. But you can ty has remained true to our program U.S. imperialism, they will develop ag- ing proof that it can be done. Work- publicize the truth presented here going back to 1919, working side by riculture and grow enough food to feed ing people in Cuba overthrew a U.S.- about U.S. colonial oppression and side with all those who stand up and the entire island. backed dictatorship, took state power, the fight for independence. fight for the independence and free- The old imperialist world order is and established a workers and farmers I will be traveling to Puerto Rico dom of Puerto Rico. coming apart at the seams. The capi- government. In the process they won in the coming weeks, not only to see Thank you, Madam Chairperson and talist rulers of the U.S. and around real independence. firsthand the devastation colonial rule committee members. the globe are in crisis. And they are taking it out on the backs of working people everywhere. There are over 700,000 Puerto Ricans Speak out against bans on ‘Militant’ in prisons! in New York City and 5 million in the Continued from front page Amnesty International USA, the which included the Militant. U.S. — more than on the island itself. efforts he and other inmates made to National Lawyers Guild and the Kansas Department of Corrections They are part of the working class in the defend their humanity, and has been American Civil Liberties Union Secretary Roger Werholtz told U.S. and strengthen it with their experi- speaking at meetings in the U.S. and in Florida have also written to the Newsweek that his office upheld all ence and fighting capacity. Capitalism around the world, calling for an end to Literature Review Committee calling but 141 bans out of 1,622 that were is creating its future gravediggers, here solitary confinement, a form of “cruel on it to overturn the bans. challenged. But he admitted that “a and in Puerto Rico. and unusual punishment” barred by the quick perusal of the list does raise Readers alert us to censorship Working people in the U.S. who faced U.S. Constitution. His tour and the book questions about the overzealousness” the bureaucratic red tape and scorn of have been widely covered in the New Florida prisoners often write the of their censors. the capitalist rulers after Hurricanes York Times and other capitalist media. Militant to make sure we know an is- This week the Militant finally re - Katrina, Sandy, and Michael can well They say appealing the bans — under sue has been impounded. And they ceived official notification from the prison system’s own regulations — filed their own grievances demanding Kansas authorities about the ban of somehow “encourages activities which they receive the impounded issues. One three issues, alleging the entire paper The Founding of the may lead to the use of physical violence.” prisoner just wrote the Militant, noting “poses a threat to the safety and se- The prison system’s Literature Florida prison rules “provide we are to curity of correctional facilities.” The Socialist Workers Party Review Committee has so far over- have access to news to keep abreast of Militant is appealing. “United States imperialism, exploit- turned two of the bans, but upheld the outside world. They make the rules. “We are calling on supporters of po- ing the masses within its boundar- one, on issue no. 15, which reported on Then they break their own rules! I guess litical rights to join our efforts to over- ies, to an even Woodfox’s New York tour. that tells you something.” turn every ban and help win broader greater degree The Militant’s efforts to overturn One Florida prisoner wrote that tele- support to defend freedom of the press exploits the peoples this assault on freedom of the press vision news, radio news programs, and and the right of our subscribers behind of Latin and Central and of the right of workers behind bars capitalist dailies like the Miami Herald bars to read the paper,” said Militant America, Cuba, to read news and political opinions are available to prisoners in Florida and editor John Studer. “Prisoners have the Puerto Rico, Ha- they choose has been joined by other “are not ever censored.” Those media right to read literature of their choos- waii, Liberia, the opponents of censorship. have carried news on prisoner hunger ing, to think for themselves, to know Philippines. The “We protest the repeated, unjusti- strikes, abuse of prisoners by prison what is going on in the world and to $26 SWP supports every fied confiscations of the Militant by guards in Florida and elsewhere, and speak out.” progressive struggle Florida prison officials. Dozens of -is censorship in the prisons. of these peoples.” sues have been impounded over the last It’s clear that the Militant is two years — more than four times as being singled out by prison au- Join the fight against Capitalism’s World many as have occurred in all the other thorities in Florida because of prison censorship! Disorder prisons in the country over the last 10 its political viewpoint. Get out the word: Download, print and years,” Christopher Finan, executive di- The Militant has 140 sub- distribute Militant articles on this fight. by Jack Barnes rector of the National Coalition Against scribers behind bars in 21 Get support statements from co-work- “Starting with the Censorship, said in a letter to the states and is rarely censored ers, unions, churches and defenders of po- Philippines, Hawaii, Literature Review Committee June 7. anywhere but in Florida. litical rights. Puerto Rico, and The ban on issue no. 15 “creates the sus- One recent exception is Cuba — all either picion that it was blocked because prison Kansas, where prison officials For Florida prisons email to: Dean Pe- annexed or brought officials were offended by the criticism confiscated almost every issue terson, Literature Review Committee, [email protected]. under Washington’s that Mr. Woodfox and other former in- sent to a prisoner there, with- heel during the mates quoted in the article made of the out informing the Militant. For Kansas prisons email: Kansas De- $25 Spanish-American prison system.” The Militant learned partment of Corrections Acting Secretary War — the U.S. The letter was co-signed by 11 other about the censorship when Charles Simmons via [email protected] ruling class was de- organizations, including American Newsweek published an ar- Send copies to [email protected] termined to establish Booksellers for Free Expression, the ticle that reported that more its predominance in the world Send checks to the Militant, 306 W. 37th American Library Association’s Office than 7,000 books and periodi- imperialist system.” St., 13th floor, New York, NY 10018, for for Intellectual Freedom, the Freedom to cals had been banned in state “Prisoners Rights Fight.” Or contribute pathfinderpress.com Read Foundation, PEN America and the prisons there. The magazine’s online at themilitant.com Kurt Vonnegut Museum and Library. editors posted a complete list,

4 The Militant July 8, 2019 Workers at Gate Gourmet, Sky Chefs fight for contract BY JOEL BRITTON airline hubs in 20 other cities during SAN FRANCISCOß — Scores of air- July. In a June 20 news release, the line catering workers employed by LSG union said it will “formally request Sky Chefs and Gate Gourmet joined in release to strike from the National a noisy and spirited informational picket Mediation Board, which would be fol- line outside the airport’s international lowed by a 30-day cooling off period terminal here June 21. if granted. UNITE HERE is prepared “United Airlines get up to snuff! One to strike whenever it becomes law- job should be enough!” and “Bad insur- ful.” The union reports that virtually ance, lousy pay! This is how your food all workers voted to authorize a strike. gets made!” were among their chants. This worker-correspondent, a former Workers originally from China airline catering worker and Socialist chanted in Cantonese — “Wage in- Workers Party candidate for mayor of crease, yes! yes! yes! Health insur- San Francisco, joined the picketing. Air- ance, most important!” line workers — like rail workers — are “American Airlines, Delta and United enveloped by draconian anti-working- made over $50 billion in combined prof- class legislation under the Railway La- its in the last five years,” UNITE HERE bor Act, that wraps the union in bureau- Local 2 said in a statement. “Less than cratic red tape designed to restrict work- 50 percent of workers at the SFO airline ers’ right to strike. catering kitchens where workers are The leaders of both the flight atten- taking strike-authorization votes had dants and pilots’ unions have spoken out company health insurance in 2018, and in support of the catering workers and Militant/Betsey Stone only 10 percent had a child or family their right to strike. This is a fight for the Airline catering workers at LSG Sky Chefs and Gate Gourmet mount informational picket de- member covered.” whole working class. manding wage increase, better health coverage at San Francisco International Airport June 21. Jennifer Ford, who has worked three years at Sky Chefs, told the Militant, “What the company is offering is only a 30 cents raise each year during the next Undocumented workers in NY win right to driver’s licenses three years. That’s nothing!” by seth galinsky to use a foreign passport or driver’s While the law passed by a wide mar- “I have to go to a free clinic because NEW YORK — After a long fight license or a consular ID to apply for gin in the state Assembly, it squeaked my company insurance is so expensive by supporters of the rights of immi- a “standard” license that has stamped by in the Senate with 33 in favor and that I can’t afford it,” airport catering grant workers, Gov. Andrew Cuomo on it “not for federal use.” The license 29 against. Erie County Clerk Michael worker Roberto Alvarez told the me- signed a law June 17 that will allow cannot be used to sign up to vote or to Kearns — who processes driver’s li- dia. “I voted to strike when released over three-quarters of a million un- get on an airplane. censes there — told the press he will because one job should be enough.” documented workers to apply for driv- Over the last year supporters of refuse to carry out the law and plans Many workers have to take on two or er’s licenses here. It goes into effect in the fight for licenses for all organized to file a legal challenge. A few others more jobs to get by, driving for Uber or December. dozens of meetings and marches that have followed suit. Lyft or something else. For immigrants without papers rec- showed the growing support from “Now is a good time to step up the Rufina Cua, a housekeeping worker ognized by Washington, being able to working people. fight for amnesty for the more than 11 at the St. Regis Hotel downtown joined drive without risking huge fines, de- They obtained the endorsement of million immigrants without papers in the picketing. She and her co-workers tention by cops for minor infractions some capitalist business interests, who the U.S. and to reach out and explain took part in a successful nine-week or the threat of deportation is not a hope that availability of licenses will the stakes for all workers, foreign- strike against Marriott last fall. “I small question, especially in towns help ease a serious labor shortage, espe- and U.S.-born,” said Ved Dookhun, learned we had to fight for our fami- and rural areas where there is little or cially in the region’s dairies and fields. Socialist Workers Party candidate of lies,” she said. “I learned about solidar- no public transport. “A lot of my friends and relatives mayor of Troy. “That will strengthen ity, so when my steward told me about Having a driver’s license will be a are really happy,” Jorge Marca said by the unity of the working class and this picket line, I came.” boost to farmworkers seeking to orga- phone from Lindenhurst, Long Island. put us in a better position to rebuild a UNITE HERE represents 20,000 nize unions and fight for higher wages This reporter met Marca when we both fighting union movement.” Sky Chefs and Gate Gourmet work- and better working conditions. Many joined a protest in Riverhead in March. “Now it’s New Jersey’s turn,” said ers across the country whose con- have been dependent on farm bosses “Many are saving up to buy a car and leaders of Cosecha, an immigrant tracts expire in August. The union for everything, from shopping to see- studying to take the driver’s test. Some group, as they organize a protest in has set plans for more informational ing a doctor. hope they can take the CDL test to drive Trenton June 27. With passage of the picketing at San Francisco airport and The law allows New York residents semis, like they did in Ecuador.” New York law, there are 13 states and the District of Columbia that allow undocumented immigrants licenses 25, 50, and 75 years ago to drive. For recognition of a Palestinian July 11, 1994 July 11, 1969 July 8, 1944 state and of Israel EAST PEORIA, Illinois — Members A South Vietnamese colonel embar- The pent-up storm in Europe burst of the United Auto workers effectively rassed U.S. military officials when he last week in violent thunder-claps of • For repeal of U.S. shut down operations at Caterpillar declared that the besieged Special Forc- insurrection over tiny Denmark, where Jerusalem Embassy Act Inc.’s plants in three states when they es camp of 1,000 American and South more than 15,000 workers, spearhead- walked off the job June 20-21. The strike Vietnamese soldiers in Benhet was ing the movement of the restless masses, • For workers’ solidarity in involves some 14,000 workers. “bait” for North Vietnamese operating defied the Nazi terror machine, and, Israel, Palestine, the world over The outcome of this confrontation has nearby. A U.S. spokesman said, “We despite savage repression, continued a big stakes for organized labor and all never use soldiers for bait.” general strike which paralyzed Copen- Socialist Workers Party working people. It comes in the midst of The following day a convoy of South hagen and compelled the Nazis to lay statement increasing resistance by workers across Vietnamese armored personnel carriers the city under siege. the United States to employers’ demands made its way over a road that had been Panic-stricken by this display of mass for concessions and union busting. closed by the siege. About 300 soldiers, resistance, the Nazis surrounded Co- UAW members employed by the cor- a tenth of whom were Americans, had penhagen with troops, cut off the city’s porate giant are determined to turn back been killed in the seven weeks of com- water, electricity and gas services, and Caterpillar’s almost three-year drive to bat around Benhet by this time. threatened to bomb the insurrectionary break their union. Workers report that The fact that Washington maintains workers unless they returned to work. supervisors and salaried personnel are a level of approximately 535,000 GIs in Danish puppet officials, acting on being shifted to plants across the coun- Vietnam, most of whom are there on a Nazi orders, appealed to the workers to try for periods of at least 45 days to bol- one-year rotational basis, means that end the strike. Employers’ associations ster efforts to restart production. Pickets the Pentagon has to send an even larger joined in the appeal, together with tame Read or download ready-to-print are up at Caterpillar plants in Illinois, number of GIs over every year to keep at trade union “leaders.” But neither cajol- flyer at www.themilitant.com Pennsylvania and Colorado. that 535,000-man level. ery nor threats could deflect the workers.

The Militant July 8, 2019 5 Victory in bakery’s lawsuit against Sudan military attacks protests Celebrating 100 years ‘on right side of history’ ‘racism’ smear by Oberlin College demanding civilian government by brian williams demonstrators chanted, “We are all Military forces and paramilitary Darfur,” meaning they would no longer by terry evans who pursued them. thugs assaulted an encampment of allow the regime to divide them. When A Lorain County jury June 7 ruled in The three students, who are Black, thousands of protesters outside army the army officer corps took control of favor of a lawsuit by Gibson’s, a fami- pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges, headquarters in Sudan’s capital Khar- the government April 11, they claimed ly-owned and operated bakery, and its including theft, in 2017, and acknowl- toum in early June, killing over 120 it be “transitional” — for “just” two to proprietors David and Allyn Gibson, edged that the shop owners’ response people, wounding hundreds more three years. against Oberlin College and Meredith had not been racially motivated. and brutally dispersing the rest. The Since the military assault protests Raimondo, the vice president and dean Jason Hawk, editor of the Oberlin attack comes in response to ongoing have continued, led largely by the Suda- of students of the northern Ohio college. News Tribune, testified during the trial mass actions throughout the country nese Professionals Association. Actions The suit charged the college and Rai- that Raimondo tried to block him from demanding the generals who took include a rally June 13 in Omdurman, mondo with libel, saying they had car- taking pictures of the protest, telling power after demonstrations ousted located on the opposite bank of the Nile ried out a “malicious campaign to per- him he had no right to do so. Hawk also President Omar al-Bashir in April to Khartoum, where protesters chanted manently harm and damage [Gibson’s] testified he saw Raimondo handing out cede power to a civilian government. slogans demanding a civilian govern- through publishing false statements.” flyers stating that Gibson’s was “racist.” “A description will never give you ment, pledging “a revolution forever.” Militant photos: Above, Mike Shur; inset, Arthur Hughes These include smears that “the bakery The flyer urged a boycott of the bakery the whole truth,” Solomon Osama, a There were also protests in the eastern OBERLIN, Ohio — More than 300 workers and young people from the is a ‘racist establishment with a long ac- and informed people where else they 27-year-old orthopedic surgeon who city of Port Sudan. U.S. and around the world attended the 2019 International Active Workers count of racial profiling and discrimi- could shop. has been involved in the Sudanese At the same time the government’s Conference sponsored by the Socialist Workers Party June 13-15 here. nation’” and that the Gibsons “commit Emily Crawford, a worker in the col- protests for months, told the Financial crackdown continued. One attack in A large banner above the stage at the main sessions read, “Celebrating hate crimes against minorities.” lege’s communications department, Times. “It was a massacre.” Volunteers mid-June killed 17 people and burned 100 Years ‘On the Right Side of History,’” stressing the party’s revolution- ary continuity with the 1919 founding of the Communist Party after the The case received widespread nation- wrote an email to her supervisor warn- at medical tents stationed throughout more than 100 houses in the Deleij Bolshevik Revolution in Russia. al press coverage. Articles and opinion ing the administration not to pursue the sit-in site told the media that when village in Darfur, the United Nations In the opening political report SWP National Secretary Jack Barnes, pieces have appeared in the New York the slanders against the small store and they tried to assist wounded protest- reported. Times, Washington Post, Wall Street its owners. “I have talked to 15 townie inset, explained, “Communism is not a doctrine, but a movement; it pro- ers troops fired on them. Protesters The military rulers in Egypt and the ceeds not from principles, but from facts.” This is a quote from an 1847 Journal and Forbes magazine, as well friends who are PoC [persons of color],” captured by the military-backed thugs monarchies in Saudi Arabia and the as Ohio-area newspapers and TV sta- she said, “and they are disgusted and polemic by Frederick Engels, one of the founders of the modern revolu- were severely beaten. United Emirates are backing the Su- tionary working-class movement along with Karl Marx. tions. Much of the reporting in the lib- embarrassed by the protest. … They do The deadly assault in Khartoum was dan military council’s moves to con- eral media echoed allegations by college not believe the Gibsons are racist.” For the first time in human history, Barnes said, there is a social class led by the Rapid Support Forces, which solidate power, pledging to provide — the working class — who can find the road to fight for independent officials that the verdict poses a danger One of the witnesses who testified was made an official part of the coun- them with $3 billion. Emirati-made political action, take political power and end class exploitation and op- to the First Amendment — that the col- on behalf of the bakery was Clarence try’s armed forces in 2013. This para- armored vehicles patrol the streets of pression once and for all. lege is being held accountable for the “Trey” James, an African American military outfit, led by Lt. Gen. Mohamed Khartoum. Washington sheds croco- A second banner above the stage read, “Advancing Along the Line of speech and actions of its students. resident of Oberlin who has worked at Hamdan, was infamous for conducting dile tears over the killing, but main- March of the Working Class; Act on Imperialism’s Deepening Political Oberlin is a company town of just the store since 2013. When asked if he genocidal killings to try and put down a tains cordial relations with the new Crisis; Build the Labor Movement; Build the Socialist Workers Party.” over 8,000 people, dominated by the had seen the Gibsons treat customers or popular rebellion in Sudan’s Darfur re- “transitional” government. “This conference gives confidence to do more work organizing, dis- college, whose student body comes employees in a racist way, he testified, gion in the 2000s. He is now second in cussing the road forward with workers on their doorsteps and at labor from largely upper-middle-class fam- “Never, not even a hint. ... Zero evi- command in Sudan’s new Transitional Impact of neighborhood committees and social battles,” Nicholas Eddington from Seattle, told the Militant at ilies, more than half from New York, dence of that.” Over the past five years, Military Council. After the Rapid Support Forces dis- the conference. Eddington had met the SWP, gone with party members to California, Illinois, Ohio, Massachu- 40 people have been caught shoplifting Sustained protests against the Bashir mantled the protesters’ encampments Cuba this year on the May Day Brigade, and joined the party. setts and New Jersey. “In a small city at Gibson’s; six were Black. regime began in December in response in Khartoum June 3, the government He spent five years in the U.S. Army, and while stationed in Afghanistan like Oberlin, having the largest busi- Eric Gaines, a retired air-traffic to the tripling of bread prices, on top of imposed an internet blackout for “na- read The Communist Manifesto and some books on the Cuban Revolution. ness and employer against you is more controller in town who is African Top, The Chronicle-Telegram/Bruce Bishop years of hardships confronting millions tional security.” But neighborhood “I wanted to find a party that would fit with what I had read,” he said. than enough to seal your fate,” David American, testified that he thought Top, Nov. 10, 2016, protest outside Gibson’s bakery. College officials supplied protesters with of working people across this impover- committees have sprung up in major Full coverage from the conference will appear in coming issues of the Gibson wrote in an article in USA To- the charges of racism against Gibson’s refreshments, gloves and copies of leaflets defaming the small business. Above, local paper Militant. reports on people traveling from miles around to show support for Gibson’s in face of attacks. ished, war-ravaged country. Bashir, who cities, seeking to continue protests and day published after the verdict. were “preposterous.” had seized power in a coup 30 years ear- solidarity actions. — Janet Post smearing its owners as “racists.” from near and far crowded the store to lier, sought to maintain his rule by brutal As Rapid Support Forces soldiers Smear campaign Administration leads charge The Gibson’s complaint, backed by offer their support by shopping there. force coupled with promoting racial, na- patrolled central Khartoum June 8, The Gibson’s complaint described The protests began two days after the trial testimony, described how Raimon- An article in the student-run Oberlin tional and religious differences to keep some 300 protesters gathered in a “are working to sustain the resistance neighborhood streets,” the Financial how Raimondo and other Oberlin Col- Nov. 8, 2016, elections in which Don- do and other college officials, including Review noted the numbers of “Sup- toilers divided. neighborhood in Omdurman. Orga- by passing information, providing fi- Times reported. lege authorities orchestrated a demon- ald Trump had been elected. “This has Tita Reed, assistant to the president, port Gibson’s” lawn signs sprouting up As the current round of protests nized into four committees of 50 to nancial support to those families in “During the protests you find safety stration outside the bakery and distrib- been a difficult few days … because of shouted defamatory statements through around Lorain County.” spread to dozens of cities nationwide, 60 households, the community groups most need and building barricades on in somebody’s house, you meet people uted a libelous flyer saying its “owners the fears and concerns that many are a bullhorn at the Nov. 10 demonstration Attorneys for the college failed to get from your neighborhood you never racially profiled and discriminated feeling in response to the outcome of outside Gibson’s. the trial moved out of Lorain County, knew,” mental health worker Sulaima against” three students. The students the presidential elections,” wrote Rai- Witnesses testified that college au- where Oberlin is located. They claimed Ishaq Sharif told the paper. had been arrested after one of them tried mondo and then college President Mar- thorities helped reproduce the libelous “the jury pool has been poisoned,” by Bakery’s victory against ‘racism’ smear by college The leader of the military coun- to use a fake ID and shoplift two bottles vin Krislov in a Nov. 11 letter to faculty flyer on college equipment. They sup- local media coverage of the case and it Continued from previous page knew that was less than half the an- tatives did, not for either the views or cil, Lt. Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, of wine from the bakery on Nov. 9, 2016, and students — as if that somehow plied demonstrators with pizza, bever- had a “lack of balanced views.” paper criticizing the college’s actions, nual tuition, room, board and fees of an actions of any students. called for protest leaders to re-enter and then pummeled a store employee justified targeting a small business and ages and gloves to stay warm. “Provid- Working people in that part of Ohio, Raimondo texted another administrator, Oberlin College student. In a FAQ issued June 19, the college negotiations, saying he now projects ing refreshments and gloves, the college like others across large parts of the “F--k him. I’d say unleash the students The college also sought to poor mouth claims no member of its senior leader- holding presidential elections in no said, did not amount to aiding and abet- country, have faced a deep economic if I wasn’t convinced this needs to be to the jury, complaining it faces finan- ship participated in the protest, nor did more than nine months. Protesters Recommended reading ting the protests,” a June 14 New York crisis, with job cuts in auto, steel and put behind us.” Unleash the students! cial difficulties and that a large mon- the college “create, endorse or condone” have refused, saying there will be no “The purpose of education in class society is not to educate. Times article reported. (One can only other industries. In 2017 USA Today Revealing language for an official the etary award to Gibson’s would be hard the protest flyer alleging the Gibsons talks as long as the military refuses to The purpose of education is to give ‘the educated’ a stake in ask what it did “amount to”!) listed Lorain County as one of the college administration insists took part to meet. Jurors evidently didn’t find this were racist. But Clarence “Trey” James give up power. thinking they are going to be different — better off, more ‘white David Gibson, writing in USA Today, areas that “never recovered from the in the protest only to ensure it was “safe convincing from an institution with a $1 had testified he was working during the described how he became convinced, Great Recession.” and lawful for all.” billion endowment, 18 administrators protest and could clearly see Raimondo collar’ — than other people who work all their lives. It is not www.pathfinderpress.com education. It is confusion and corruption.” —Jack Barnes in face of big odds, to press the fight An Oberlin College Student Sen- taking home more than $100,000 a year, “standing directly in front of the store against the wealthy college’s false accu- ate Resolution was carried Nov. 10, Jury’s damage awards and salaries of half a million for its presi- with a megaphone, orchestrating some sations. He said his 90-year-old father, 2016, the day of the protests, calling The Lorain County jury on June 7 dent and chief financial officer. of the activities of the students. ... She Allyn, had told him, “‘In my life, I’ve for a boycott of Gibson’s. The Gibson’s found the college and Raimondo liable was telling the kids … where to get wa- done everything I could to treat people complaint states that on or before Nov. for defamation. It also found the college Not a ‘free speech’ issue ter, use the restrooms, where to make with dignity and respect. And now, 14, Raimondo instructed the director liable for inflicting intentional emotional Since the verdict, the college ad- copies” of the flyer. nearing the end of my life, I’m going to of dining services to tell Bon Appetit distress on the Gibsons, and Raimondo ministration has sought to counter The entire case was about the Ober- die being labeled a racist.’” Management Company, which supplied for intentional interference in a business the decision. Current Oberlin Presi- lin College administration’s attitudes the dining hall, to cancel its contract relationship. The jury awarded the bak- dent Carmen Twillie Ambar claims of class privilege and entitlement, not Support from working people with the bakery. The suspension of the ery owners $44 million in compensa- “this is a First Amendment case about freedom of speech. They thought they “Without community support, we college’s business lasted for two months tory and punitive damages. whether an institution can be held li- could defame a small business as rac- wouldn’t have won,” Allyn Gibson Jr., and began again when the lawsuit was During the trial, the college’s attorney able for the speech of its students.” In ist, with impunity. They never antici- told the Militant June 22. “People from filed. Sales dropped sharply, some 50% called an “expert” who sought to mini- fact, the Gibson’s complaint targeted pated the Gibson’s determination to the area, from surrounding districts, since 2016. mize any possible financial harm to the not the students or their right to speak fight for the truth and dignity, nor the traveled in to offer their support.” When Roger Copeland, a retired bakery by dismissing it as being worth and protest, but the defamatory actions support they would get from work- $10 Solidarity with Gibson’s by working Oberlin College professor of theater only $35,000 — a statement that must of the college and Raimondo, its vice ing people and others repelled by the $20 $10 people in the area began two days after and dance, wrote a letter to the campus have seemed particularly arrogant and president. And the jury held the college college’s smear campaign. They were the student picket, when large numbers Continued on next page galling to those in the courtroom who accountable for what its own represen- wrong on all counts. www.pathfinderpress.com

6 The Militant July 8, 2019 The Militant July 8, 2019 7 Building a party capable of leading workers to power This excerpt is from The Struggle entific socialism, judges things and peo- for a Proletarian Party by James P. ple from a class point of view. Our aim Cannon. It is one of Pathfinder’s Books is the organization of a vanguard party of the Month for July. It records the to lead the proletarian struggle for pow- struggle to build a party, proletarian er and the reconstitution of society on in program and composition, that can socialist foundations. That is our “sci- lead working people to topple capi- ence.” We judge all people coming to us talist rule. It is a companion volume from another class by the extent of their to In Defense of Marxism by Leon real identification with our class, and the Trotsky. Both were written as part contributions they can make which aid of the political battle led by Trotsky the proletariat in its struggle against the against a petty-bourgeois opposition capitalist class. That is the framework in the Socialist Workers Party that within which we objectively consider recoiled from the party’s proletar- the problem of the intellectuals in the ian course under patriotic pressure movement. If at least 99 out of every 100 on the eve of the Second World War. intellectuals — to speak with the utmost Cannon was a founder of the commu- “conservatism” — who approach the nist movement in the U.S. and nation- revolutionary labor movement turn out al secretary of the SWP from 1938 to to be more of a problem than an asset 1953. Copyright © 1972 by Pathfinder it is not at all because of our prejudices Press. Reprinted by permission. against them, or because we do not treat James P. Cannon, second from left, and other convicted members of Socialist Workers Party them with the proper consideration, but and Teamsters union march in Minneapolis, 1943, to begin prison sentences for organizing op- because they do not comply with the re- position to U.S. entry into WWII. Cannon led fight to lead SWP deeper into industrial unions. Books of quirements which alone can make them the party stand firm and rally around the lives are in another and alien world. It useful to us in our struggle. program with a virtual unanimity. requires an active professional leader- In the Communist Manifesto, in the month From this we can and must draw ship, composed of individuals demo- which the theory and program of sci- certain conclusions: cratically selected and democratically entific socialism was first formally by James P. Cannon 1. It is not sufficient for the party to controlled, who devote their entire promulgated, it was already pointed The present crisis in the party is no have a proletarian program; it also re- lives to the party, and who find in the out that the disintegration of the ruling mere episode. It is not to be explained quires a proletarian composition. Other- party and in its multiform activities in capitalist class precipitates sections of by simple differences of opinion such as wise the program can be turned into a a proletarian environment, complete that class into the proletariat; and that have occurred at times in the past, and scrap of paper overnight. personal satisfaction. others — a smaller section to be sure, will always occur in a free and demo- 2. This crisis cannot be resolved For the proletarian revolutionist the and mainly individuals — cut them- cratic party. The crisis is the direct re- simply by taking a vote at the conven- party is the concentrated expression of selves adrift from the decaying capital- flection of alien class pressure upon the tion and reaffirming the program by his life purpose, and he is bound to it for ist class and supply the proletariat with party. Under this pressure the bulk of the majority vote. The party must proceed life and death. He preaches and practic- fresh elements of enlightenment and petty-bourgeois elements, and the petty- from there to a real proletarianization es party patriotism, because he knows progress. Marx and Engels themselves, bourgeois leaders, lost their heads com- of its ranks. … that his socialist ideal cannot be realized the founders of the movement of scien- pletely, while the proletarian sections of Burnham is concerned first of all without the party. In his eyes the crime tific socialism, came to the proletariat with “democratic guarantees” against of crimes is disloyalty or irresponsibility from another class. The same thing is true of all the other great teachers of Books degeneration of the party after the rev- toward the party. The proletarian revolu- July olution. We are concerned first of all tionist is proud of his party. He defends our movement, without exception. of the Month with building a party that will be ca- it before the world on all occasions. [V.I.] Lenin, [Leon] Trotsky, [Geor- pable of leading the revolution. Burn- The proletarian revolutionist is a dis- gi] Plekhanov, [Rosa] Luxemburg — PATHFINDER ham’s conception of party democracy ciplined man, since the party cannot none of them were proletarians in their 25% social origin, but they came over to READERS CLUB discount is that of a perpetual talking shop in exist as a combat organization without SPECIALS which discussions go on forever and discipline. When he finds himself in the proletariat and became the great- nothing is ever firmly decided. … the minority, he loyally submits to the est of proletarian leaders. In order to The Struggle for a do that, however, they had to desert Proletarian Party Our conception of the party is radi- decision of the party and carries out its by James P. Cannon cally different. For us the party must decisions, while he awaits new events their own class and join “the revolu- The fight for the proletarian be a combat organization which leads a to verify the disputes or new opportu- tionary class, the class that holds the program and composition of the determined struggle for power. The Bol- nities to discuss them again. … future in its hands.” They made this Socialist Workers Party that petty- shevik party which leads the struggle for Organization questions and organi- transfer of class allegiance uncondi- bourgeois opposition challenged on power needs not only internal democ- zational methods are not independent of tionally and without any reservations. eve of World War II. $22. Special price: $16.50 racy. It also requires an imperious cen- political lines, but subordinate to them. Only so could they become genuine tralism and an iron discipline in action. As a rule, the organizational methods representatives of their adopted class, The First Five Years of the It requires a proletarian composition flow from the political line. 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8 The Militant July 8, 2019 socialist workers party statement Joyce Meissenheimer: US hands off Iran! End sanctions! Communist fighter Continued from front page act to protect their top-dog status anywhere — in following Washington’s moves June 17 to send the Middle East, Central Asia, Vietnam, you name 1,000 more troops to the Mideast — on top of forc- it — working people here are the cannon fodder es already deployed there rivaling the entire mili- they send to fight, to die, or to come home maimed tary of most nations on earth. The U.S. capitalist with our futures shattered for a lifetime. rulers are also imposing punishing new economic They call on us to sacrifice to defend their prof- sanctions on Iran in the wake of the June 20 shoot- its. That’s been true in every one of U.S. imperial - down of an unmanned U.S. drone by Tehran. ism’s modern wars. The U.S. government seeks to use its unmatched It is the U.S. rulers and their twin political parties military and economic might to impose its will on who have invaded Iraq twice. It is they who have rivals worldwide. The goal of the U.S. capitalist sent hundreds of thousands of U.S. GIs to Afghani- rulers is to defend and advance their economic and stan in Washington’s longest war, with no end in political sway. sight. It is they who threaten workers and farmers Every action the U.S. rulers take abroad — and across the Mideast with massive military power. at home! — is aimed at maximizing their profits The crushing economic sanctions they impose by extending and intensifying the exploitation of — against Tehran, and against Cuba, Venezuela workers and farmers. and North Korea — devastate the living conditions The White House and top Democratic and Re- of working people first and foremost. Militant/John Steele publican leaders in Congress say “we” are threat- Socialist Workers Party branches in the Bay Area Joyce Meissenheimer in Toronto in December 2007. ened by Iran. But there is no “we.” The class in- and Seattle in recent weeks have helped organize By Beverly bernardo terests of working people and the wealthy ruling street actions against Washington’s moves against MONTREAL — Joyce Meissenheimer, 96, a mem- families are the polar opposite. Their profits come Iran. Working people and youth here and the world ber and cadre of the Communist League in Canada for from our labor, and from the labor of our fellow over should stand ready to organize public protests almost 50 years, died in Calgary June 7 of heart fail- working people worldwide. When the U.S. rulers against further U.S. government escalations. ure. Before coming to Canada, Meissenheimer was a fighter against the apartheid regime in South Africa for more than two decades. For the last 20 years of her life, deteriorating health prevented her from active participation in political life. Washington steps up threats, squeeze on Iran Born in 1922 in Capetown, South Africa, Joyce Continued from front page Guard senior commander and other government grew up under the jurisdiction of the Coloured Affairs ate last night on 3 different sites” inside Iran, but leaders were “frustrated or furious with the tactical Department, one of the apartheid government institu- called it off with 10 minutes to spare. He said he commander who made the decision to shoot down tions depriving non-Caucasians of political rights. In was told by the Pentagon these strikes would “kill the American drone.” 1937, at the age of 15, her father took her to her first 150 Iranians,” and that he had decided such an at- The Revolutionary Guard, which operates sepa- demonstration against racial segregation. tack was “disproportionate” to the downing of a rately from the government armed forces, has been at She married George Meissenheimer and they had pilotless drone. the forefront of efforts to extend the bourgeois cleri- four children — Martin, Richard, Linda, and Laura. Hours later the president told NBC, “I’m not look- cal regime’s influence across the region. Its elite Quds She became head of a parent-teacher organization that ing for war,” but then threatened, “If there is, it’ll be Force, officially responsible to Supreme Leader Aya- campaigned against the Coloured Affairs Department. obliteration [of Iran] like you’ve never seen before.” tollah Ali Khamenei, contains factions that operate to From 1948 to 1961 Meissenheimer was the editor The shootdown came three days after Washing- advance their own rival interests within the clerical of the Torch, the publication of the Non-European ton announced the deployment of another 1,000 U.S. hierarchy and state bureaucracy. Some are itching for Unity Movement. Because the paper exposed the in- troops to the region. This comes on top of the more an armed conflict with Washington. justices and brutalities rampant under the apartheid than 20,000 soldiers and an arsenal of warships, The Guard Corps has 100,000 soldiers, controls a system, supporters of the paper lived under constant bombers and land and seaborne missiles it already militia of another 600,000, and has its own air force police surveillance. stations across the Middle East to defend the U.S. and navy, which is larger than Iran’s regular navy. It In 1961, Meissenheimer was “banned” — meaning rulers’ profitable oil properties and other economic controls its own business empire, which includes con- she could not participate in meetings of more than two and political interests. struction and running the national airport. people. Because of this stifling restriction on her polit- At the same time as Washington tightens its The U.S. government designated the Revolutionary ical activity, and that her husband was ill with a heart noose on Iran, squeezing workers and farmers Guard a “terrorist organization” in April, imposing condition, they decided to move to Vancouver in 1965. there, it is demanding that the Iranian government sanctions on its officials. She joined the League for Socialist Action, one of agree to new negotiations. the predecessor organizations of the CL. She threw The Pentagon sent additional troops after two oil New economic pounding herself into building the group’s weekly Friday night tankers, one Norwegian-owned and the other Jap- More sanctions targeting Khamenei, government forum series and took part in rising actions opposing anese-owned, were attacked June 13 in the Gulf of officials and eight commanders of the Iranian Revolu- Washington’s war against the people of Vietnam and Oman. Washington says the attacks, which damaged tionary Guard were imposed by Washington June 24, the Canadian capitalist rulers’ complicity with it. the ships without seriously injuring anyone, were or- with bipartisan support in Congress. In 1969 Meissenheimer joined the fight to repeal chestrated by Tehran. The attacks came as Japanese The punishing economic strictures worsen the de- Canada’s restrictive abortion laws, leading to the Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was meeting with leaders teriorating conditions working people in Iran face. Canadian Supreme Court’s ruling repealing them in in Tehran in an attempt to “mediate” in the conflict on The annual inflation rate topped 50% last month, its 1988. She continued to fight to extend access to fam- behalf of Washington. highest level since 1980. Over a quarter of all young ily-planning services for women, including abortion. Acting Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan said people are unemployed. In 1977, Meissenheimer helped lead the successful the 1,000 troops were needed to counter the “hostile Working people also bear the toll from the destruc- political fight to fuse the League for Socialist Action/ behavior of Iranian forces and their proxy groups,” tive wars Iran’s capitalist rulers are waging abroad. Ligue Socialiste Ouvriere with two other revolution- referring to militias that Tehran arms and trains in Tehran presses workers and farmers in Iran, as well as ary organizations — the Revolutionary Marxist Group Lebanon, Iraq, Syria and Yemen to advance its coun- from Afghanistan, Pakistan and elsewhere into “vol- and Groupe Marxiste Revolutionnaire. This led to terrevolutionary course in the region. unteering” to join militias, which it uses to intervene the formation of the Revolutionary Workers League, The Trump administration hopes its military in the region’s conflicts. which changed its name to the Communist League in threats and economic punishment can force Iran’s Politicians and commentators across the bour- 1989. She was a strong supporter of the CL’s efforts to rulers to rein in the militias and end programs en- geois spectrum in U.S. politics seek to draw an equal get the overwhelming majority of its membership into abling the development of nuclear weapons and sign between today’s reactionary Iranian clerical re- industry and the trade unions. long-range missiles. gime and the 1979 Iranian Revolution — in which She was a member of CL branches in Vancouver, millions of working people overthrew the hated Toronto and Montreal until 2001, when poor health Divisions among Iran rulers U.S.-backed shah of Iran. But this regime is in fact forced her to move to live with her son Richard. There are divisions within both the Iranian re- a product of a bloody counterrevolution in the early She remained in contact with the League, follow- gime and the Revolutionary Guard, including about 1980s that pushed back many gains working people ing its political work and supporting its activities, the wisdom of shooting down the U.S. drone. The had made over the first few years following the 1979 for the rest of her life. New York Times said that at least one Revolutionary popular upsurge. As the U.S. rulers ratchet up their pressure, the Ira- nian rulers continue to advance their counterrevolu- Celebrate Joyce Meissenheimer’s ‘Militant’ Prisoners’ Fund political life The fund makes it possible to send prisoners reduced tionary foreign military operations. Iranian military rate subscriptions. Send a check or money order pay- commanders proposed June 24 to the Iraqi govern- Montreal, Saturday, July 20 able to the ‘Militant’ and earmarked “Prisoners’ Fund” ment new joint military exercises between Tehran- Reception, 2 p.m.; program, 3 p.m. to 306 W. 37th St., 13th Floor, New York, NY 10018. Or organized forces there and the Iraqi army, which also carries out joint operations with the more than Centre St. Pierre, room 203 — Roger Poirer, donate online at www.themilitant.com 1212 Panet. For more info: (514) 272-5840 5,000 U.S. troops stationed in Iraq.

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