AUSTRALIA $1.50 · CANADA $1.50 · FRANCE 2.00 EUROS · ICELAND KR100 · NEW ZEALAND $2.00 · SWEDEN KR10 · UK £.50 · U.S. $1.00 INSIDE FBI, police provocateurs conduct disruption operations — PAGE 4 A SOCIALIST NEWSWEEKLY PUBLISHED IN THE INTERESTS OF WORKING PEOPLE VOL. 68/NO. 32 SEPT. 7, 2004 Miners win labor support Oppose bipartisan assault in Seattle for from United States to Iraq Utah fight Support the working-class alternative BY CONNIE ALLEN SEATTLE—“Because of the strike, we have made progress in our struggle to be treated with dignity by the company. We Vote Socialist Workers Party in 2004! never had vacations before. Now the fore- men come and tell us when our vacation Workers and farmers in the United States days are approved. We are committed to face an intensifying assault by the bosses the fi ght to win a union and thank you for and the twin parties of capitalism—the your solidarity, which has been crucial in Democrats and Republicans—on our wag- our battle.” With these remarks, Timoteo es, working conditions, social wage, and González opened his presentation to more broader gains. And increasingly, attacks on than 100 unionists at an August 18 meeting our political rights as well, more and more here of King County Labor Council (KCLC) delegates at the Seattle Labor Temple. González is a coal miner at the Co-Op mine near Huntington, Utah, and has EDITORIAL worked there for a year and a half. He and Bill Estrada, another Co-Op miner, visited carried out in the name of the “global war Seattle on a labor tour sponsored by the on terrorism.” The ruling classes in the United States, Europe, Japan, and elsewhere are driven in their assaults on working people by Order back issues intensifying competition common to the of ‘Militant’ to learn opening stages of a world economic and fi nancial crisis. This sharpening confl ict about miners’ battle. between the dominant imperialist powers Free with sub! (see p. 2) over dividing and redividing the world’s markets and resources among themselves is rooted in the long-term decline of the Militant photos by Nicole Sarmiento (above), Dan Fein (left) KCLC to consolidate and expand support average rate of industrial profi t—that is, Socialist Workers candidate for U.S. president for their struggle to win representation the normal workings of the capitalist Róger Calero (left) at August 17 press conference by the United Mine Workers of America system. in Albany, New York, announcing that socialists (UMWA). The foreign policy of Washington and fi led 30,000 signatures that day. State offi cials “This is a critical period for Co-Op min- other imperialist powers—from trade said SWP will be on ballot. Calero’s running Continued on Page 4 confl icts over agricultural subsidies to the mate, Arrin Hawkins (above, right), campaigns Anglo-American in June at Point Blank Body Armor in Oakland war on Iraq—is Park, Florida. Workers at plant, which makes an extension of protective gear for the armed forces and police, Socialist Pathfi nder their domestic won fi rst union contract in April. policy, of the supersaver offensive against is not simply the product of the agenda of he would have backed the invasion of Iraq Workers labor at home. sale p. 6 George Walker Bush. even if he knew in the winter of 2003 that This antilabor The Democratic contender for the White no “weapons of mass destruction” would and prowar course candidates House, John Forbes Kerry, has made it clear Continued on Page 10 on N.Y. ballot U.S. occupation forces besiege Iraqi militia in Najaf BY VED DOOKHUN ALBANY, New York—“Workers, farm- BY SAM MANUEL tanks have come as close as 130 yards to the draw his supporters from key positions in ers, and young people have an alternative in U.S. occupation forces have tightened shrine. Nearly 80 Iraqis have been killed in Najaf. His irregulars have been involved in the November elections,” said Róger Calero, their noose for an all-out assault against these assaults, according to the Iraqi health several armed uprisings against the U.S.- Socialist Workers Party candidate for U.S. a few hundred fi ghters of the militia loyal ministry. U.S. troops have unleashed similar led occupation—mostly in Najaf and the president at an August 17 news conference to Muqtada al-Sadr. Al-Sadr’s forces have attacks in Sadr City in Baghdad’s suburbs, nearby cities of Kufa and Karbala, where here as the party fi led petitions containing been holding the Imam Ali mosque in killing dozens of Iraqis. the majority of the population is Shiite 30,000 signatures with the state board of Najaf in southern Iraq. Since mid-August, Facing increasing military pressure and Muslim—aimed at gaining greater infl u- elections. “The SWP will be on the ballot U.S. helicopter gunships and war planes political isolation among Iraqis, al-Sadr an- ence within a new Iraqi regime. in 15 states, including here in New York and have bombed al-Sadr’s positions, while U.S. nounced August 21 that he plans to with- Al-Sadr’s announcement reflects the the District of Columbia.” blows the occupation forces have dealt Campaign organizers report that the insurgent groups in Iraq, as Washington board of elections informed them August Defeat of pro-imperialist recall boosts has continued to take steps to impose the 23 that the Socialist Workers Party ticket Continued on Page 3 will be on the ballot in New York. No one challenged the SWP petitions during the confi dence of Venezuela’s toilers three days allowed by state law. Candidates BY ARGIRIS MALAPANIS are offi cially certifi ed by the state in late A recall referendum aimed at removing September. Venezuela’s elected government, headed by Also Inside: The socialists announced that they had President Hugo Chávez, failed by a large fi led more than 30,000 signatures, double margin August 15. More than 59 percent Labor board to hear complaint the legal requirement to win a ballot spot voted “no.” on harassment of workers for the socialist ticket—Calero for presi- “It’s a big victory for us,” said Lenin trying to win union dent, Arrin Hawkins for vice-president, Dávila, an oil worker in Maracaibo, Zulia at North Carolina food giant 2 and Martín Koppel for U.S. Senate from state, in an August 23 telephone interview. New York. “Most of my co-workers have been celebrat- Washington, D.C.: immigrants “Because of the number of people who ing. We are even happier today because some demand right to vote 2 signed from Buffalo to Binghamton, Al- of the closest allies of los escuálidos came bany, and the fi ve boroughs of New York out and defi nitively rejected their claims of Puerto Rican independence City,” said Calero at the state capitol news electoral fraud.” Dávila used a derogatory fi ghter Antonio Camacho conference, “there will be an independent term—meaning the squalid ones—utilized 5 working-class alternative in New York to widely in Venezuela to describe the pro-im- released from U.S. jail the Democrats, Republicans, and smaller perialist opposition that has Washington’s capitalist parties that function as pressure backing. Socialist campaign responds groups of the left and right within U.S. AP/Marcelo Hernández On August 23, U.S. offi cials announced to red-baiting smear imperialism’s two-party system.” Venezuelans celebrate defeat of that the White House accepted the results of in Mississippi newspaper 6 Calero described the grinding social pro-imperialist recall August 15 out- the referendum after an audit by the Atlanta- Continued on Page 7 side presidential palace in Caracas. Continued on Page 3 Labor board to hear New Militant Labor Forum hall opens in Scotland harassment charges of unionists at Smithfield BY JANICE LYNN to the abusive write-up system. WASHINGTON, D.C.—The National “The successful collective action within Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has sched- the maintenance department appears to have uled a hearing on a complaint fi led by the inspired a crack down by management,” the United Food and Commercial Workers UFCW statement said. A few days later, Union (UFCW) against Smithfi eld Packing. “more workers were terminated, which The union has charged the food giant with inspired a second walkout.” harassment, physical assaults by company This time, according to the union, goons, and complicity in the false arrest of Smithfield company police, along with workers trying to win union representation deputies of the Bladen County Sheriff’s by the UFCW in the company’s hog slaugh- Department, blocked the doors, assaulted terhouse and processing plant in Tar Heel, workers, arrested employees on trumped up Militant North Carolina. charges, and threatened them with physical Tony Hunt of the Communist League of the UK speaking at July 24 grand The company employs nearly 6,000 violence as they attempted to walk off the opening of Pathfi nder Books and the Militant Labour Forum hall in Edinburgh, workers. Two previous attempts by the job. According to union offi cials, 21 work- Scotland. The meeting marked a milestone in a nearly three-year effort to extend UFCW to organize the plant in the 1990s ers and some supervisors were fi red after the reach of the communist movement into Scotland, during which communist failed. The union is now in the middle of this incident. workers have joined in important labor battles, fi ghts of small producers on its third organizing campaign. “Smithfi eld is the only packing plant in the land and among fi shermen, and in support of the Irish freedom struggle. “The NLRB complaint, issued July 30, the country to employ a full company po- Participants bought $65 worth of books and raised $172 towards the Communist 2004, charges Smithfi eld Packing and a lice force with armed offi cers, an in-plant League’s party building fund, bringing the total raised in Scotland to $1,000. number of employees by name with: il- holding cell, and the right under state law legally assaulting employees; threatening to make arrests and charge people with workers with arrest by federal immigration infractions,” the UFCW press release said. authorities; causing workers to be falsely ar- “Company police offi cers have the right to drives, the company used many means of fi eld had worked with the cops to instigate rested; and threatening workers with bodily carry concealed weapons.” intimidation and prevented workers from violence during the vote count and that harm,” said an August 4 press release by “Smithfi eld resorts to a police presence voting in the union. During the fi rst orga- company managers collaborated with the the UFCW. to create a Gestapo-like atmosphere in an nizing campaign in 1994, the union fi led local sheriff’s department to intimidate and Smithfi eld’s in-house cleaning contractor, attempt to suppress workers from speaking numerous charges against Smithfi eld for physically assault union supporters. QSI, based in Lumberton, North Carolina, out,” said Bill McDonough, UFCW execu- illegal surveillance, threats, coercion, and In testimony to the U.S. Senate Health, has also been charged with “failing to pay tive vice president and director of organiz- harassment of union backers. Education, Labor and Pensions Commit- workers their wages and vacation time; ing. “We demand that the company police After the second campaign in 1997, union tee in June 2002, Sherri Buffkin, a former and threatening workers for supporting the force be immediately disbanded.” supporters won damages of $755,000 in a Smithfi eld supervisor at the Tar Heel plant, union,” the press release said. These assaults have come down as civil lawsuit against the food giant, after said, “I terminated employees who didn’t According to the Bladen Journal, a local workers at Smithfield are making their union election monitors were badly beaten deserve to be terminated. I’m here to tell paper, the NLRB has scheduled a Septem- third attempt to win union representation by company thugs. An NLRB administrative you that Smithfi eld Foods ordered me to fi re ber 20 hearing on the charges fi led by the by the UFCW. In two previous organizing law judge issued a ruling stating that Smith- Continued on Page 10 union. Last November, a group of maintenance workers walked off the job to protest ha- rassment of union supporters by the bosses. Immigrants press for vote in Washington, D.C. Some workers, employed by QSI, “felt that management was harassing them with un- BY SAM MANUEL citizens for at least 20 years to be eligible to House oversight committee on the District warranted write-ups and withholding prom- WASHINGTON, D.C.—A bill before the become president; a similar bill was intro- of Columbia, and Rep. Thomas Tancredo ised raises,” the UFCW press announcement city council here would extend the right to duced in the House. The election last year of have said Congress, which has the authority said. “A sympathetic supervisor was fi red vote in local elections to permanent resi- Arnold Schwarzenegger, an Austrian-born to overrule legislation in this city, will not for supporting workers’ complaints.” In dents. This proposal is part of the growing naturalized citizen, as governor of Califor- allow the bill to become law if passed. response, 250 workers walked off the job. nationwide debate on the right of foreign- nia has drawn attention to this question. In several cities, from Chicago to Tacoma Following the walkout, QSI managers born residents to vote and hold offi ce. In San Francisco, a proposal to extend the Park, Maryland, noncitizens can vote in mu- decided to bring everyone back, including Last year Utah senator Orrin Hatch intro- vote to noncitizens in school board elections nicipal or school elections. In New York City the fi red supervisor, and signed an agree- duced a bill to amend the U.S. Constitution will be voted on in November. It has sparked they were eligible to vote in school board ment promising wage increases and an end to allow those who have been naturalized a debate among capitalist politicians. San races and serve on the board until two years Francisco Board of Supervisors President ago. Proposals to allow legal residents to Matt Gonzalez supports the proposal. vote for local offi ces are being debated in Democratic senator Dianne Feinstein has Connecticut, New York, and other areas. sharply opposed it, saying, “Allowing non- A number of individuals born abroad hold citizens to vote is not only unconstitutional government offi ce, such as Canadian-born in California, it clearly dilutes the promise Jennifer Granholm, Democratic governor of citizenship.” Nearly 9 million of the 35 of Michigan; Labor Secretary Elaine Chao, million residents of California are foreign- born in Taiwan; and Secretary of Housing born. and Urban Development Melquiades Find out about Utah miners’ fight for union The bill in Washington, D.C., introduced Martínez, born in Cuba. Former secretar- After a 10-month strike, coal min- July 13 by fi ve city council members, would ies of state Madeleine Albright and Henry require only that a person be a permanent Kissinger were born in Czechoslovakia and ers at the Co-Op mine in Hunting- resident. In promoting the bill, the council Germany, respectively.Until the 1920s, 22 ton, Utah, returned to work and members pointed to the growing number states and territories allowed legal residents continue the battle for the union of immigrants in the city. According to the to vote in local elections. With the govern- 2000 Census, the Latino population here has ment’s antilabor, anti-immigrant campaign from inside. The ‘Militant’ has cov- increased by 37 percent in a decade. following World War I, voting rights at every ered this fi ght every week since the Rep. Thomas Davis, chairman of the level were restricted to citizens. strike began. New subscribers can get two back issues of their choice

to learn about this important labor Miners at Co-Op mine in Huntington, Utah, address. By fi rst-class (airmail), send $80. march to coal mine July 6. Africa, Asia, and the Middle East: Send $65 struggle. Don’t miss a single issue! The Militant drawn on a U.S. bank to above address. Vol. 68/No. 32 Canada: Send Canadian $50 for one-year Closing news date: August 25, 2004 subscrip tion to Militant, 1237 Jean-Talon est, Montréal, QC. Postal Code: H2R 1W1. Editor: ARGIRIS MALAPANIS United Kingdom: £25 for one year by SUBSCRIBE TO DAY! Business Manager: MICHAEL ITALIE check or inter na tion al mon ey order made out Washington Bureau Chief: SAM MANUEL to Mil i tant Dis tri bu tion, 47 The Cut, Lon don, Editorial Staff: Róger Calero, Michael Italie, SE1 8LF, En gland. Martín Koppel, Sam Manuel, Doug Nelson, Republic of Ireland and Continental Eu- NEW READERS NAME and Paul Pederson. rope: £70 for one year by check or in ter na tion al Published weekly except for one week in Janu ary, mon ey order made out to Mil i tant Dis tri bu tion ❏ June, July, and September. at above address. France: Send 115 eu ros for .$5 for 12 issues ADDRESS The Militant (ISSN 0026-3885), 306 W. 37th one-year subscrip tion to Diffusion du Militant, Street, 10th fl oor, New York, NY 10018. Tele- P.O. Box 175, 23 rue Lecourbe, 75015 Par is. phone: (212) 244-4899; Fax (212) 244-4947. Iceland: Send 3,500 Ice landic kronur for RENEWAL E-mail: [email protected] one-year sub scrip tion to Mil i tant, P.O. Box CITY STATE ZIP The Militant website is: www.themil i tant.com 233, 121 Reykjavík. Correspondence concerning subscriptions or Sweden, Fin land, Nor way, Den mark: 400 ❏ chang es of address should be addressed to The Swed ish kro nor for one year. Domargränd 16, .$10 for 12 weeks UNION/SCHOOL/ORGANIZATION PHONE Mil i tant Business Offi ce, 306 W. 37th Street, S-129 47 Hägersten, Stockholm, Sweden. 10th fl oor, New York, NY 10018. New Zealand: Send New Zealand $55 to P.O. ❏.$20 for 6 months ❏ YES, SEND ME TWO ISSUES COVERING THE CO-OP Periodicals postage paid at New York, NY. Box 3025, Auckland, New Zealand. Aus tra lia: MINERS’ STRUGGLE POSTMASTER: Send address changes to the Send Austra lian $50 to P.O. Box 164, Campsie, Militant, 306 W. 37th Street, 10th fl oor, New Haymarket, NSW 2194, Australia. Pa cifi c Is- CLIP AND MAIL TO THE MILITANT, York, NY 10018. lands: Send New Zealand $55 to P.O. Box 3025, ❏ $35 for 1 year Auckland, New Zealand. . 306 WEST 37TH ST., 10TH FL. NEW YORK, NY 10018. Subscriptions: United States: for one-year sub scrip tion send $35 to above address. Signed articles by contributors do not nec es - 12 weeks of the Militant outside the U.S.: Australia and the Pacifi c, A$8 • United Kingdom, £4 • Canada, Latin America, Caribbean: for one-year sub- sari ly represent the Militant’s views. These are Can$7 • Carib be an and Latin America, $10 • Continental Europe, £12 • France, 12 Euros • Iceland, Kr500 • scrip tion send $65, drawn on a U.S. bank, to above expressed in editorials. New Zealand, NZ$10 • Sweden, Kr60 (Send payment to addresses listed in business in for ma tion box)

2 The Militant September 7, 2004 Venezuela recall vote Continued from front page to fear that working people may push for based Carter Center and the Organization even more radical steps that would impinge of American States (OAS) concluded there on their property and prerogatives. was no evidence of irregularities. “In our The government’s normalization of trade view, the results of that audit are consistent and diplomatic relations with Cuba, and the with the results announced by [Venezuela’s] work in Venezuela of some 16,000 doctors, National Electoral Council,” said U.S. State literacy teachers, and other volunteers from Department spokesperson Adam Ereli. Cuba for the last two years, have also drawn The opposition coalition Coordinadora the ire of many Venezuelan capitalists and Democrática, led by weighty sections of their backers in the United States. Venezuela’s capitalist class that enjoy Even before August 15, however, as it be- Washington’s support, orchestrated the came evident that the opposition campaign recall vote. After managing to get less than was rapidly losing steam, international 41 percent, opposition leaders said fraud capital in the oil industry made it clear it was involved and refused to recognize the was increasingly favorable to the stability outcome. they hoped would come from a strong win Their claims, however, have been rejected by the Chávez administration. This is despite left and right. Former U.S. president James the fact that the government passed legisla- Carter, for example, said in a letter published tion in 2001 doubling royalties that investors AP/Leslie Mazoch in the Wall Street Journal that the August 15 have to pay for oil exploration contracts and Fernando Jesús Toro, 9, has his tonsils checked July 29 by Cuban doctor Magalys vote was “free and fair.” mandating a majority stake by the state in Navarro Rui in a clinic in the La Vega neighborhood in Caracas, Venezuela. Even some of the right-wing media in any joint ventures with foreign investors. Venezuela acknowledged the sweeping “Before the referendum took place, and of the August 15 referendum. to hurt you. All your rights are guaranteed, character of the victory for the vote “no” perhaps in anticipation of the result, U.S. During his weekly “Hello President” tele- you who have large properties or luxury campaign. El Nacional, one of the country’s oil giants ExxonMobil and ChevronTexaco vision and radio show on August 22, the farms or cars.” main privately-owned dailies, which has signed agreements pledging to invest bil- president said he would pursue his “revolu- Partly as a result of the course expressed been campaigning to unseat the Chávez lions of dollars in two new projects in tion for the poor,” and pledged to accelerate in Chávez’s remarks, and because of the re- administration, said that a majority voted Venezuela,” said an article in the August land distribution and government credits to cent improvements in the economy, a minor- against the recall in every single one of Ven- 22 Financial Times. peasants and other exploited producers. He ity of Venezuela’s capitalists and landlords ezuela’s 23 states and the Federal District, An article in the August 9 issue of the also said he no longer recognizes the Co- and substantial middle-class layers backed which includes the capital, Caracas. London daily had quoted Fareed Mohamedi, ordinadora Democrática opposition coali- the vote “no” campaign and don’t see an chief economist of the Washington-based tion because of its insistence that electoral immediate threat to their class prerogatives Economic improvements PFC Energy, saying, “The companies are a fraud took place and its refusal to accept the under this government. Advances in government-sponsored lot more sanguine about the political situa- referendum results. The result of this vote Many working people in the cities and social programs—from literacy campaigns tion and they have become convinced that allows the president to serve his full term countryside, however, 70 percent of whom to public works, to free and competent Mr. Chávez is a man they can do business until 2006, when he will be eligible to run live under the offi cial poverty level, see it neighborhood clinics operated by volun- with.” again. “I don’t recognize the Coordinadora differently. Some say there is no way to teer Cuban doctors and other improve- The August 22 Financial Times article, as the political opposition,” he said. “There defend themselves and make progress in ments in health care—were a factor in the though, cautioned against overoptimism. is no dialogue with this Coordinadora.” substantially improving working and living opposition’s electoral demise. “At the same time,” it said, “two multina- The Venezuelan government has so far conditions for the vast majority without tak- During the first half of this year, the tionals took out insurance against expropria- rejected calls by the pro-imperialist oppo- ing on the ongoing rule of the industrialists, country’s economy also improved, fueled tion of their assets, according to a diplomat sition to postpone state and local elections bankers, and large landowners. largely by higher oil prices that reached a in Caracas.” It quoted Miguel Díaz, South scheduled for September 26, after Coordi- “Among the biggest challenges we face record of nearly $47 per barrel in August. America analyst at the Center for Strategic nadora Democrática threatened to boycott now, even more clearly, are the rich in the Venezuela is the fifth-largest oil pro- and International Studies in Washington, them unless its demands are met for further government and the wealthy who present ducer in the world. Petroleos de Venezuela D.C., saying, “Given the relations between investigation into its claims of fraud in the themselves as ‘pro-Chávez,’” Napoleón (PDVSA), the state-owned oil company, the U.S. and Venezuela, the oil companies, recent referendum. Tortolero, a peasant in the Los Cañizos provides some 80 percent of the country’s especially the Americans, really are on their At the same time, Chávez said, the gov- farm cooperative in the northwestern state export income and about half of its total rev- own when it comes to their investments in ernment is keeping the door open to work of Yaracuy, who has taken part in struggles enue. More than 50 percent of oil exports go Venezuela.” with any of his opponents who recognize the for land over decades, told the Militant. to the United States and Canada. voters’ will as expressed August 15. “These people use their positions to block The surge in oil prices has boosted state Class contradictions “What we want is national unity,” Chávez implementation of agrarian reform, even its revenues. The government increased spend- For his part, Chávez tried to reassure said in his August 22 address. “This revolu- modest parts. More than 80 peasant leaders ing 81 percent, to $8.6 billion, during the the capitalist class that it faces no new tion should not frighten anybody…. All this have died the last two years fi ghting for fi rst fi ve months of the year compared to the danger to its property rights and its hold on stuff about Chávez and his hordes coming to land. We intend to intensify the struggle period a year ago. A large percentage of the Venezuela’s economy following the defeat sweep away the rich is a lie. We have no plan after August 15.” outlay was devoted to public works such as road repairs and building other parts of the country’s infrastructure. Retail sales rose 59 percent the fi rst four months of 2004, U.S. troops, Iraqi military intensify assault in Najaf while car sales nearly doubled from the previous year, according to the Bloomberg Continued from front page lation, al-Sadr had reversed on June 12 for insurgents. Fallujah, the center of a Suni news service. Iyad Allawi government in Baghdad that is his opposition to the U.S.-picked interim Muslim insurgency in April, was one of the Unemployment fell to 12 percent this year largely a tool of American strategic inter- regime, called on his followers to lay cities where the deposed Hussein regime from its high of 20 percent last year. ests. According to press accounts, al-Sadr down their arms, and promised to convert had a strong base. The country’s gross domestic product has likely fl ed Najaf and about 300 of the his militia into a political movement. The The occupation forces and the Allawi (GDP) grew 13.6 percent the second quar- estimated 1,000 members of his militia change of stance took place after Ayatol- government have made it clear they will ter of this year, while it had declined 9.5 remain in the city. lah al-Sistani, Iraq’s leading Shia cleric, not allow any pockets of dual power to percent during the same period in 2003, ac- They are surrounded by U.S. troops, gave his stamp of approval to the interim develop through armed revolts, whether cording to the Central Bank of Venezuela. armor, and airpower. government. in Fallujah, Najaf, or other cities. GDP expanded 35 percent the fi rst quarter After suffering substantial losses, al- The latest armed revolt by al-Sadr’s In another development, a U.S. Army in- of this year, recovering from a 28 percent Sadr’s forces have been largely confi ned forces refl ects dissatisfaction by him and vestigation into the abuse of Iraqi prisoners drop in the fi rst quarter of 2003, when an to the grounds of the Imam Ali mosque. his followers over their ability to infl uence at the Abu Ghraib prison near Baghdad will employers’ lockout crippled oil production Al-Sadr counted on the reluctance of the the interim regime. widen the scope of culpability from seven for more than two months. U.S. occupiers and the Iraqi military to On August 17, U.S. defense secretary Military Police soldiers who have already launch an assault on the scale that would Donald Rumsfl ed told PBS television news been charged with abuse to include nearly Third blow to proimperialist opposition be needed to dislodge him and his support- host Jim Lehrer that the Iraqi government 20 low-ranking soldiers, according to the The bosses’ “strike” in December 2002 ers from the Muslim shrine, because of the will eventually have to deal with al-Sadr. “At Washington Post. and January 2003 crumbled as millions of religious signifi cance of the mosque. some point,” Rumsfeld said, the situation Seven members of the 372nd Military workers defi ed the sabotage of the economy, However, Allawi, prime minister of the involving al-Sadr, “will have to change.” Police company that operated the prison taking over refi neries and other plants and interim Iraqi government, took advantage In an attempt to avoid appearing to give have been charged with various offenses. No restarting production. It was the second of the meeting of a national conference to in to the demands of the interim govern- Army offi cers have faced charges to date. attempt by many of the country’s capital- elect an interim national council and issued ment al-Sadr sought to negotiate turning In the medical journal Lancet, Steven ists and middle-class layers to overthrow a fi nal warning to al-Sadr to vacate Najaf over the keys to the Imam Ali shrine to Miles of the Center for Bioethics at the the government. The fi rst, a U.S.-backed and dissolve his militia. Allawi was also al-Sistani. But the Shia cleric refused the University of Minnesota wrote that the military coup in April 2002 that lasted successful in getting the conference itself, offer, saying that al-Sadr’s forces must fi rst fi ndings of the investigations along with barely three days, was defeated after mas- with participants from most of the political leave the mosque. “We cannot receive the a review of the translated testimony of de- sive street mobilizations by working people groups in Iraq, to call on al-Sadr to end his shrine compound unless they agree to this tainees indicates that medical personnel at throughout the country divided the military. insurgency. formula,” said an aide to al-Sistani, accord- the prison may have played a role in aiding The third, and meeker, attempt by the pro- That conference took another step in ing to the Associated Press. the abuse of prisoners by overlooking inju- imperialist opposition to topple the elected consolidating a pro-U.S. regime in Iraq. U.S. military forces also stepped up their ries obviously infl icted as a result of torture government—the recall referendum—has It selected 81 members of a national attacks against al-Sadr’s supporters in Sadr and routinely attributing cause of death on now failed, too. council that will have limited legislative City, named after al-Sadr’s father, who was certifi cates to “natural causes.” Since it took offi ce in 1998, the Chávez authority until elections are held next year. killed along with two of his brothers alleg- Miles noted that a psychiatrist helped de- administration has angered Venezuela’s Another 19 members of the council will edly by members of the Iraqi secret police sign, approve, and monitor “interrogations” wealthy ruling families and their allies in be selected from former members of the on orders of the Saddam Hussein regime. at the prison. In one instance, the journal re- Washington by passing measures such as an U.S.-appointed Iraqi Governing Council, U.S. military offi cials told Al Jazeera TV ports, a doctor permitted an untrained guard agrarian reform law, a bill protecting small which was dissolved shortly after the that 50 militiamen loyal to al-Sadr had been to stitch a cut on a prisoner’s face. fi shermen from overfi shing by large capi- U.S.-run occupation regime transferred killed as dozens of tanks and Bradley fi ght- An estimated 2,200 detainees are being talist operations, and allocating state funds the government to an Iraqi cabinet headed ing vehicles pushed deep into the working- held at Abu Ghraib now, down from the for affordable housing and other social by Allawi on June 28. class district of Baghdad. 7,000 held earlier this year when the prison programs. As workers and peasants have Efforts by opponents of the interim gov- U.S. warplanes also carried out bomb- became the focus of worldwide outrage at frequently mobilized to implement these ernment to boycott the meeting collapsed ing strikes in Fallujah, central Iraq, killing revelations of abuse of Iraqi detainees by and other measures that are in their class as the contending political groups jockeyed fi ve Iraqis and wounding six others. U.S. U.S. military guards. interests they have gained self-confi dence to gain a more favorable position. forces routinely bomb targets in the city This conduct mirrored widespread prac- and higher expectations, causing the wealthy In an earlier sign of his growing iso- they claim are “safehouses or strongholds” tices throughout the U.S. prison system. The Militant September 7, 2004 3 Miners speak in Seattle Continued from front page The NLRB mandated the holding of a ers, for miners in western coal, and for the union election after the strikers signed a UMWA,” Estrada said. “The future of the petition for representation by the UMWA. UMWA is at stake. With your support we The labor board then held a hearing July won our jobs back. This put us in the best 20–21 in Price, Utah, to determine who position to win union recognition. We are will be eligible to vote in the election. The now in the middle of a war with the King- mine owners claimed that 100 people they stons, the Co-Op owners, to win UMWA describe as seasonal and part time workers, representation.” most of whom are Kingston family mem- Estrada said this was the fi rst speaking bers or relatives, are legitimate employees trip the Co-Op miners have made since and should be part of the list of those who returning to work July 12. vote. At the hearing, the union presented During the strike, several Co-Op miners evidence that most of these people are had addressed nine locals of the Interna- children or grandchildren of supervisors, tional Longshore and Warehouse Union or of the company owners, who were not (ILWU) in Washington and Oregon June working there prior to the strike. UMWA 8–10. Unionists contributed more than lawyers argued that these Kingston family $15,000 to the strike at the time. members “have a confl ict of loyalty” and ILWU delegates to the KCLC had moved should not be allowed to vote. Attorneys to invite the miners to return to address a from both sides submitted their briefs to broader group of unionists. González and the NLRB by August 4. UMWA offi cials Estrada spoke at a special order of business said they expect a ruling by the labor board Militant/Scott Breen on the agenda of the August 18 meeting. within weeks of that date. Co-Op miners from Huntington, Utah, at August 18 meeting of the King County Before they spoke, members of Service “It is important to let the NLRB know that Labor Council in Seattle. Standing left to right are: miners Bill Estrada and Timoteo Employees International Union (SEIU) you are watching,” Estrada said. “With your González, and translator Rebecca Saldana of SEIU Local 6 at the podium; seated to Local 1199NW reported on their strike support we are going to win this election and the left of the podium is KCLC president Nancy Young. preparations in a contract dispute with then get a contract. This will reinvigorate the Group Health. efforts to unionize coal miners in the West. González and Estrada were two of the 75 More miners are talking union now.” a fi rst-hand feel for their fi ght. He described was wearing. “I visited the UMWA miners miners the bosses fi red Sept. 22, 2003, for Estrada thanked the unionists for their the conditions he saw, and explained why it when they set up Camp Solidarity during their efforts to bring the UMWA into the crucial solidarity and asked for their con- was important to support these miners. “If the Pittston coal strike in 1990,” he said. mine. The miners said they were being paid tinued support. He ended by inviting all they win, we win,” he said, encouraging all “I supported their fi ght then and we have between $5.15 and $7 an hour, while wages present to join a delegation to Huntington to dig deep. to support it now. The KCLC will send out for underground coal miners nationwide for the upcoming one-year anniversary of The Co-Op miners got unexpected sup- to all local union affi liates information on average above $17 per hour. Since getting the strike, promising to send more informa- port at the next point on the agenda. Kirk where your local can send a letter to the back on the job—after the National Labor tion on the event as soon as the miners work Patrick, an International Association of NLRB and a contribution to the UMWA. Relations Board (NLRB) ruled they had out the details. The event has been set for Machinists member from Alabama, was But you will have to do the work to make been fi red illegally, and the company made September 25. speaking on Disaster Relief. He started his sure your union locals follow through all the an unconditional offer to return—the min- Nancy Young, KCLC president, chaired remarks by saying people should support the way,” he told the delegates. ers said they have been locked in a trench the meeting and called for the hat to be miners. He reported that the Birmingham Those present contributed more than war with the bosses in their effort to win a passed for contributions. “We don’t just Central Labor Council heard a report on the $1,000 for the miners’ organizing struggle. majority for the UMWA. want money from your pockets, we want miners’ fi ght, passed a resolution supporting Four unionists signed up to join the Seattle Estrada described the fi ght inside the donations from your locals,” she said. the Co-Op miners, and sent a contribution. delegation to the September anniversary of mine to win over the production workers Ligia Velázquez, president of the Labor Addressing González and Estrada, Patrick the Co-Op strike. who did not take part in the strike. “Since Council for Latin American Advancement, said, “Thank you for your courage and soli- For more information on this struggle, to returning to work we have been working came forward to present a check of $102. darity, thank you for what you are doing.” send a message of solidarity, or to make a 12 hour shifts,” he said. “At fi rst the bosses James Weddington, from ILWU Local 23 Steve Williamson, KCLC executive donation, write to UMWA District 22, at 525 caught us off guard. But now we have been in Tacoma, said he had the honor of visiting secretary, started his report to the body by East 100 South, Price, UT 84501. Earmark able to back them off. We got organized so the miners in Huntington June 18–19 to get pointing to the UMWA solidarity shirt he checks to the “Co-Op Miners Fund.” we don’t confront the bosses one-on-one, but collectively as a crew.” The mine owners operate a company “union,” the so-called International Asso- Immigrants in N.Y. to lose driver’s licenses ciation of United Workers Union (IAUWU), which has started having meetings to coun- BY RYAN SCOTT person to respond to the letter, the New York YKASEC. “We are here to talk about the ter the UMWA organizing effort. The three AND ARRIN HAWKINS Times reported. State offi cials told the Times diffi culties this causes immigrants. They offi cers of this phony union, the miners NEW YORK—Unionists and other that in November the DMV would begin should stop this policy—the DMV is not said, are supervisors in the mine. Estrada defenders of immigrant rights turned out suspending licenses at a rate of 4,000 a day the INS.” described how UMWA supporters went to August 19 for a protest at City Hall here. of those who had not responded. At the August 19 hearing at City Hall, De- an August 6 IAUWU meeting and exposed Demonstrators denounced moves by the Several groups organized the rally of 75 partment of Motor Vehicles Commissioner the character of the outfi t as a boss setup (see New York State Assembly’s Transportation protesters at City Hall, including the New Raymond Martinez waved the banner of “Utah miners in trench war with bosses to Committee to restrict immigrant workers’ York Immigration Coalition (NYIC), the the “war on terrorism” to justify the state’s win UMWA representation” in the August right to hold a driver’s license. New York Civic Participation Project, and moves. “These license documents, issued in 31 Militant). Since the beginning of the year the New the Young Korean American Service Educa- states where requirements were less strin- “Because we could expose this company York Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) tion Center (YKASEC). SEIU local 32BJ, a gent than those here in New York State, al- ‘union’ in the meeting, workers who crossed has sent out hundreds of thousands letters union representing 70,000 building service lowed the hijackers to board airplanes and the picket line are looking up to us and see threatening to suspend the licenses of driv- workers in the region, has come out against execute their acts of terrorism against our that we have strength,” Estrada told the ers whose Social Security numbers do not these measures. Several participants came nation,” he said, stating that 18 of the 19 KCLC delegates. “Solidarity is extremely match federal records. If fully implemented, wearing the local’s caps and T-shirts. They men accused of hijacking the planes that important. Any day the NLRB will decide as many as 250,000 working people in New were joined by a group of union construc- crashed into the World Trade Center and when the union recognition vote will be held York could lose their licenses. tion workers. the Pentagon on Sept. 11, 2001, held valid and whether the Kingston family members About 600 licenses have been confi scated “This is an attack against hardwork- driver’s licenses. can vote.” so far from those who went to the DMV in ing immigrants.” said Jubum-Cha, of the Margie McHugh, executive director of NYIC, spoke at the hearing, arguing that the requirements were “an ineffi cient way to enforce immigration laws” and did not FBI provocateurs conduct disruption operations help in the fi ght against “terrorism,” said El Diario la Prensa. “Restrictions on licenses BY DOUG NELSON “Are you planning to commit any crimes? quired largely through infi ltrating organiza- results in less information in the possession Dozens of people around the United Do you know anyone who plans to commit tions, is used for frame-ups, provocations of the government…less information about States have recently been the target of any crimes? Do you know that withholding and disruptions. who is in our state,” McHugh said. unannounced visits and interrogations by such knowledge from us is a crime?” Civil right activists in Chicago protested Prior to 1995, New York drivers did not provocateurs from the FBI and local police Sarah Bardwell, a 21-year-old intern earlier this year when they learned that in have to submit a Social Security number to who are working together in the so-called at the Denver American Friends Service 2002, undercover cops in that city infi ltrated obtain a license. This requirement and other Joint Terrorism Task Force. Committee, a Quaker group that opposes fi ve protest groups, including the American steps pushed for by both the Democratic and These cops have been harassing individu- the Anglo-American occupation of Iraq, Friends Service Committee and Not in Our Republican parties go hand-in-hand with the als, and their friends and family, about their said agents appeared at her house and Name. The groups were planning to protest effort, carried out in the name of “homeland plans to take part in protests around the Re- questioned her and her four roommates, the Trans-Atlantic Business Dialog, an in- security,” to make the driver’s license into publican national convention, scheduled for according to media reports. “The message ternational meeting of business leaders that a more uniform identification card and August 30–September 2 in New York, where I took from it, was that they were trying to took place in Chicago that year. strengthen the centralization of federal, tens of thousands are expected to take part intimidate us into not going to any protests Chicago police launched four other simi- state, and local police agencies. in demonstrations. and let us know that, ‘hey, we’re watching lar operations in 2003 reported the Chicago “Not only do these moves seek to crimi- This operation and others, which in- you,’” Bardwell said. Sun Times February 19. Such operations nalize workers who are foreign-born,” Arrin clude infi ltration of an array of groups, Bardwell said the agents who showed up are increasingly common in cities across Hawkins, SWP candidate for vice president, are intended to produce a chilling effect on at her house acted provocatively. “We said, the country. told reporters at the rally. “These require- political activity and to disrupt trade unions, ‘You should leave our porch’ and they said, Federal prosecutors subpoenaed Drake ments move in the direction of establishing Black rights organizations, and others. They ‘We’ll leave your porch when we want to,’” University for records on the sponsor of a a national identifi cation card. Our campaign are consistent with a long record of such she told the Post. campus antiwar forum last February. The opposes this attack on the right to privacy provocations by the political police (see Last year, the city of Denver was forced demand was dropped after an outcry from of all workers in this country. We demand article on page 9). to settle a lawsuit agreeing to restrictions on local residents, university employees, and an end to ‘no-match letters,’ Social Security Mark Silverstein, legal director of the spying activity by local cops when it was students. number requirements, and other moves by American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) disclosed that the police there were keeping About a dozen people in Kansas and the ruling class to curtail workers’ rights.” Foundation of Colorado, said activists fi les on 3,000 people and 200 organizations Missouri were harassed by the FBI before In California, a number of protests have around the country are being asked a similar involved in protests without “reasonable the Democratic convention in Boston last been held against similar government series of questions on what they know about suspicion” of illegal activity. month. One of them, Nate Hoffman, 21, an measures affecting millions of workers in the plans of demonstrators. These include: “Intelligence gathering” such as this, ac- Continued on page 11 that state.

4 The Militant September 7, 2004 N.Y.: Socialists kick off 12 days of campaigning BY PAUL PEDERSON “Our aim is to get as many books, meetings provide an NEW YORK—“Hey, Róger Calero is pamphlets, subscriptions, and campaign opportunity to discuss running for president!” a unionist at an leafl ets as possible into the hands of those the political questions August 19 demonstration outside City we meet on the streets of New York in posed in discussions on Hall told Socialist Workers campaign vol- these next 12 days,” Calero told the more the streets, at plant gates, unteer Ryan Scott when he met a team of than 40 volunteers assembled August 21 at and protest actions. In socialist campaigners. The rally protested the campaign center in Manhattan’s Gar- particular, volunteers the New York state government’s moves ment District. “This is part of redeeming are honing their skills to restrict immigrants’ right to obtain a the effort we put in to collecting 30,000 at popularizing and driver’s license (see article on page 4). signatures to put our party on the ballot. explaining the party’s “I heard about Calero’s fi ght against Now we are out on the streets of New campaign platform and deportation last year through my union,” York, campaigning for the working-class the political realities said the member of Service Employees alternative.” from which it fl ows. International Union (SEIU) Local 32BJ, “I’m here for the duration,” said Jenny One of the ques- the building maintenance workers union. Johnson-Blanchard, a member of the tions discussed at these “That’s a good idea. We need more work- Young Socialists who is planning to stay meetings is the SWP ers running for president.” He encouraged through the entire 12 days of campaign- campaign’s support for other unionists who were with him to pick ing. Johnson-Blanchard, 19, a student at workers right and press- up a copy of the Spanish-language social- the University of Minnesota, had joined in ing need to organize ist magazine Perspectiva Mundial. the petitioning effort over previous weeks unions and defense of Socialists who have fanned out across to get the SWP ticket on the ballot in Min- the labor movement from New York City since August 21 to cam- nesota, Nebraska, and Wisconsin. the bosses’ assaults. “It’s paign for the Socialist Workers Party “I’ve learned so much doing this, get- from this that fl ows our ticket of Calero and running mate Arrin ting out and learning from other people’s call for the formation of Hawkins are fi nding similar receptivity experiences,” she said. “Campaigning on a labor party, based on among many working people and youth. the streets and explaining what our party the unions, that defends SWP members and supporters, Young stands for makes me examine things more the interests of workers Socialists, and others from around the closely.” and farmers,” Calero country have joined campaigners from said. New York and New Jersey for an all-out Ten-week sub drive, book sales effort “How do we clearly effort to reach the thousands taking part in To complement the effort, partisans of explain and present in the Militant and Perspectiva Mundial have signs the demand in the Militant/Ilona Girsch the protests leading up to and through the Karl Butts, SWP candidate for U.S. Congress in Tampa, Republican National Convention. launched a subscription drive that begins SWP platform, ‘Support August 28, on the weekend of the largest the efforts of power-poor Florida, soapboxing August 23 in N.Y. Garment District. demonstrations in New York, and extends semicolonial nations to to November 7, a week beyond Election acquire and develop the energy sources “This demand is not an abstraction, Militant/Perspectiva Mundial Day. They have set a goal of selling more necessary to expand electrification’?” it relates to politics today,” Koppel con- Fall Subscription Drive than 3,000 subscriptions to the Militant asked Sonja Swanson, a campaign vol- tinued. “Under the banner of ‘opposing August 28 – November 7, 2004 and its sister publication in Spanish, Per- unteer from Miami. Swanson reported that nuclear proliferation,’ Washington and spectiva Mundial. her team had tried to use a sign with a its allies are trying to block semicolo- Initial chart with goals The socialist campaigners are making shorthand version of this. “I found that the nial nations from developing the energy full use of Pathfi nder’s Supersaver Sale sign wasn’t to the point, and so it wasn’t sources required to meet basic economic Militant PM Country Goal Goal that offers steep discounts on an array of effective,” she said. “It said ‘Expand and social necessities. AUSTRALIA 55 8 books and pamphlets (see ad on page 6). electrifi cation throughout the world. Two “For millions of people in the world, CANADA The questions posed in this year’s elec- billion people in darkness.’ Two people productive and cultural activity ends with Montreal 32 12 tions in the United States and the answers came up to me and asked if we were from sunset. The communist movement cham- Toronto 85 18 that socialists and other currents in the the electric company.” pions the efforts of oppressed nations to CANADA total 117 30 workers movement give to them are not “This is not a technical question, but a develop their economic infrastructure and ICELAND 25 2 new. They have been tested in the class political one,” said Martín Koppel, SWP raise their living conditions in the face of NEW ZEALAND struggle for more than 150 years. These candidate for Senate from New York, at actions by Washington and other imperial- Auckland 45 1 Christchurch 35 1 books and pamphlets give working-class the next meeting of the volunteers to help ist powers against them.” N.Z. total 80 2 explanations to the main problems fac- initiate discussion on the question Swan- Volunteers have come in to take part SWEDEN 30 5 ing humanity and point a way forward to son raised. “It has to do with championing in the campaigning from other countries UNITED KINGDOM resolve them in the interests of working the struggles of oppressed nations against as well. As part of the 12-day effort, Edinburgh 25 2 people. imperialism and forging an alliance be- volunteers are setting daily goals on sub- London 50 12 As teams of volunteers return to the tween workers and farmers the world over. scriptions and book sales. In the fi rst four UK total 75 14 SWP campaign headquarters each day, Our signs have to capture that so it doesn’t days, they sold 146 books, 20 subscrip- UNITED STATES a wrap-up meeting open to all interested look like an ad for Con Edison, or a crank tions to the Militant and 4 to Perspectiva Atlanta 80 20 in the campaign is held. These public scheme about electrifi cation. Mundial. Birmingham 35 8 Boston 100 40 Chicago 100 40 Cleveland 40 10 Craig, CO 50 20 Antonio Camacho, fi ghter for Puerto Rican Des Moines 65 25 Detroit 50 10 Houston 75 20 independence, released from U.S. jail Los Angeles 150 50 Miami 100 50 BY OLGA RODRÍGUEZ $7 million from Wells Fargo in Hartford, continue to press for Camacho’s release, NE Pennsylvania 55 15 New York 250 70 NEW YORK—Prison authorities at the Connecticut. Most of the Hartford 15, as and that of other Puerto Rican activists Newark 125 25 Allenwood federal prison in Pennsylvania the framed up independentistas came to be behind bars. Omaha 55 45 released Antonio Camacho Negrón August known, were arrested during massive FBI ProLibertad issued a press statement Philadelphia 95 10 17. But the Puerto Rican independence sweeps in Puerto Rico in August 1985. August 19 announcing that following his Pittsburgh 65 4 fi ghter may soon face incarceration again Camacho was arrested in March 1986, release Camacho was informed that he now Price, UT 50 20 under new sentences. and sentenced to 15 years for his alleged has to serve two more jail sentences: one San Francisco 125 35 More than 50 people had gathered here role in the robbery. for 180 days and the other for 90 days. No Seattle 50 10 August 15 at the San Romero Church in Camacho has been released on parole explanation for the added time was given. Tampa 40 10 twice before, only to be rearrested. In He was told that he had to report by 9 Twin Cities 105 40 Washington Heights to welcome Camacho Washington 115 21 on his way back to Puerto Rico. The meet- 1998 he was put back in prison for alleg- a.m. the next day to the federal prison at U.S. total 1,975 598 ing turned into a lively protest of prison edly violating the draconian conditions of Guaynabo in Puerto Rico. ProLibertad has Int’l totals 2,375 657 offi cials’ refusal to release him two days his parole, which included reporting every called for protests against this injustice, International goals 2,500 550 earlier, as originally scheduled. 72 hours to U.S. authorities in San Juan, which is aimed at perpetuating Camacho’s Camacho is one of four Puerto Rican Puerto Rico, and not associating with other time behind bars. IN THE UNIONS freedom fi ghters remaining in U.S. jails for independence fi ghters who had served time Militant PM in prison. In 2002, he was rearrested after Vieques prisoners Goal Goal years-long sentences stemming from their AUSTRALIA activities for Puerto Rican independence. a year out on parole, again for allegedly ProLibertad has also called for letters AMIEU 8 Still imprisoned are Haydée Beltrán, Carlos violating his parole conditions. He had to protest the treatment of José Pérez CANADA Alberto Torres, and Oscar López Rivera. Ca- publicly announced at the time that he González by the authorities at the Elmore UNITE HERE 2 1 macho had served his full 15-year sentence would not abide by the rules set by U.S. County jail in Wetumpka, Alabama. Pérez UFCW 6 3 and was to be released with no parole condi- authorities because he did not recognize González, one of fi ve Puerto Ricans jailed Total 8 4 tions, but when his family showed up at the their right to set such conditions. on charges stemming from activities to NEW ZEALAND prison for him, they were told that he was not At the August 15 meeting in New York, force the U.S. Navy out of the Puerto Ri- NDU 2 Esperanza Martel, a leader of the pro-in- can island of Vieques, was moved to this MWU 2 being released that day. When they pressed Total 4 for more information, they were dismissed dependence group ProLibertad, said that contract jail for the U.S. Bureau of Prisons. SWEDEN without further explanation as to why Ca- Camacho wasn’t present “because Puerto Pérez González was placed in solitary con- Livs 2 1 macho was being held past the completion Rico is a colony of the United States and fi nement for 23 hours out of the day for UNITED STATES of his sentence. Prison authorities continued he is a freedom fi ghter.” She added that two weeks, with no explanation for this UFCW 135 150 to hold Camacho for nonpayment of the fi ne because of the colonial reality, Puerto punishment. He has since been moved in UMWA 30 15 levied at the time of his sentencing. At an Rican pro-independence fi ghters in prison with the general prison population. UNITE HERE 45 35 August 16 hearing it was determined that are treated as “terrorists.” ProLibertad is asking that letters de- Total 210 200 Camacho was unable to pay the fi ne, clear- Benjamin Ramos and Frank Velgara, of manding an explanation for his transfer ing the way for his release. ProLibertad one of the groups that have to Wetumpka, and that he be moved to AMIEU—Australasian Meat Industry Em- organized the campaign in the United a minimum security prison, be sent to: ployees’ Union; NDU—National Distribution The ‘Hartford 15’ Union; MWU—Meat Workers Union; Livs— States to free all imprisoned Puerto Rican R.E. Holt, Director, Southeast Regional Food Workers Union; UFCW—United Food and Camacho was one of 15 Puerto Rican freedom fi ghters, also addressed the meet- Offi ce, Federal Bureau of Prisons, 3800 Commercial Workers; UMWA—United Mine activists convicted on frame-up charges ing. Father Luis Barrios, pastor of the San Camp Creek Parkway, S.W., Building Workers of America in connection with the 1982 robbery of Romero Church, urged those gathered to 2000, Atlanta, GA 30331-6226. The Militant September 7, 2004 5 SWP campaign answers red-baiting smear Jackson, Mississippi, newspaper calls socialists ‘wolves in sheep’s clothing’

Printed below is a letter that Norton the bosses’ assaults. For the formation of Sandler, national director of the Social- an independent labor party based on the ist Workers Party (SWP) campaign, trade unions that fi ghts in the interests of sent August 9 to Charles Tisdale, editor working people. of the Jackson Advocate. Sandler sent • Support the right of semicolonial the letter in response to a front-page countries to electrifi cation, including use article the Advocate had published in of nuclear power. its August 5–11 issue. The author of the • For a massive federally funded public article, Barbara Harris, used red-baiting works program to put millions to work at smears to discredit the Socialist Work- union scale. ers campaign. The Advocate, a weekly • Stop farm foreclosures! newspaper published in Jackson, Mis- • Defend and extend affi rmative action in sissippi, ran the article under the title employment, education, and housing. “Vulnerable Voters Deceived by Socialist • All U.S. and other imperialist troops Workers Candidate.” It is printed on the out of Iraq, Afghanistan, Yugoslavia, Ko- facing page, after Sandler’s letter. As of rea, Haiti, Colombia, and Guantánamo Bay, August 22, the Advocate editors had not Cuba, now! published Sandler’s response. • Fight cop brutality, abolish the death penalty. BY NORTON SANDLER We take issue with Ms. Harris’ expressed Dear Mr. Tisdale, opinion that there is something wrong with We are writing in response to the demands that speak to the interests of the slanderous and highly misleading article working class. Our campaign’s message is “Vulnerable voters deceived by socialist “It’s not who you’re against, it’s what you workers candidate,” by Barbara Harris, Militant/Jeanne FitzMaurice SWP vice-presidential candidate Arrin Hawkins, 29, collects signatures at Jackson are for! Vote Socialist Workers in 2004.” that appeared on page 1 of the August State University August 2 to get the socialist ticket on the Mississippi ballot. Our candidates got an excellent response in 5–11 Advocate. Mississippi not by deceiving anyone, but by Instead of contacting unnamed sources Campaign wants everyone to know what explaining what we stand for. and the FBI, Ms. Harris could have eas- “Arrin Hawkins, 28, is a garment worker in There is a name for the type of article Ms. ily found answers to her questions about New York. She was the Socialist Workers our campaign represents. As Ms. Harris herself explains, we “sup- Harris’ wrote: red-baiting. This type of smear Róger Calero and Arrin Hawkins, the So- Party candidate for Lt. Governor of New is used against civil rights advocates, demo- cialist Workers 2004 presidential ticket, by York in 2002.” port raising the minimum wage to union scale, a very popular issue with the working crats, dissidents, and freethinkers of all vari- reading the candidates’ biographies which In addition to being sent to the Jackson eties, as well as socialists and communists. were sent by fax to the Jackson Advocate Advocate, thousands of copies of the class and those entering the workforce.” Is this something we should try to hide? Espe- By making all kinds of insinuations and hints and e-mailed to Ms. Harris, or by contact- biographies, along with clear statements at devious methods on the part of the Social- ing their national campaign offi ce located on what the socialist candidates stand and cially when no other candidates are raising this demand? ist Workers Party, she hopes to keep readers in Miami. fi ght for, were distributed to Mississippians from objectively considering the ideas and As the biographies explain, “Róger by campaign volunteers who petitioned in Other demands that we stand and fi ght for include: proposals the socialists are raising. Calero, 35, is an associate editor of the Jackson as well as in Meridian, Natchez, In compliance with Mississippi law, the Spanish-language magazine Perspectiva Pascagoula, and Tchula. Far from deceiv- • Support workers’ right to organize unions and defend themselves against 2004 Socialist Workers Campaign fi led Mundial and a staff writer for the Militant.” ing anyone, the 2004 Socialist Workers over 2,100 signatures with the Secretary of State. Our candidates also appeared on Questions posed in the 2004 elections aren’t new the ballot in Mississippi in the 2000 elec- tion by collecting 2,400 signatures. Lessons for the struggles of today and tommorrow The Socialist Workers Party has run candidates in every presidential election PATHFINDER SUPERSAVER SALE since 1948. Due to undemocratic election laws in virtually every state, which make it ALL PAMPHLETS $1 TO $3; ALL BOOKS $5 OR $10 diffi cult and in some cases impossible for small working-class parties to gain ballot The Lesser Evil? status, the Socialist Workers Party petitions by Jack Barnes The Changing Face of U.S. Politics to get on the ballot. Why the “tactic” of backing Working-Class Politics and the Trade Unions The Socialist Workers Party opposes laws candidates of any capitalist by Jack Barnes that prevent working people from putting party will neither stop the An invaluable guide to the struggle forward the candidates that they choose. We right-wing nor advance the for women’s liberation and its oppose laws that take away the voting rights interests of working people. increased weight in working- of working people who have served time “Let’s stop talking about in- class politics. This is a handbook in this country’s enormous prison system. dependant political action for workers, farmers, and youth We oppose all laws making it diffi cult for and start talking about in- repelled by the class inequali- citizen-soldiers to vote and engage in politi- dependent working-class ties, economic instability, racism, cal activity protected under the constitution. political action.”—Jack Barnes, 1965, women’s oppression, cop violence, Our response to these undemocratic attacks The Working Class and from one of the three debates collected and wars endemic to capitalism, on our rights is to turn the onerous require- in this volume. the Transformation of Learning The Fraud of Education Reform Under and who are seeking the road to- ments forced upon us into an opportunity to $5 Capitalism — by Jack Barnes ward effective action to overturn hit the streets with our campaign program In English, Spanish, French, Swedish, and that exploitative system and join and talk with thousands of working people Icelandic. $3 in reconstructing the world on new, around the country. This year, we are cam- $1 socialist foundations. In English, paigning to be on the ballot in 14 states and Cuba and the Coming American Spanish, and French. $23 $10 Washington, D.C. This is not a “claim,” as Revolution by Jack Barnes $13 $5 * ‡ Ms. Harris asserts. It is a fact. From New Capitalism’s World Disorder by Jack Barnes $23.95 $10 * ‡ York to Wisconsin to Mississippi, our cam- THREE CLASSICS OF SOCIALISM paign has gotten a serious response from Aspects of Socialist Election Policy $10 $3 •The Communist Manifesto working people and youth. Because Róger Calero and Arrin What Is American Fascism? by James P. Cannon, Joseph Hansen $8 $3 by Karl Marx, Frederick Engels $3.95 $2 * Hawkins—whose ages are printed on the Problems of Women’s Liberation by Evelyn Reed $12.95 $5 •Socialism: Utopian and Scientific fi rst lines of the campaign literature—are In Spanish, ¿Sexo contra sexo o clase contra clase? $18.85 $10 by Frederick Engels $4 $2 under the constitutional age requirement, Abortion Is a Woman’s Right by Pat Grogan $14.95 $5 * •Imperialism, the Highest Stage of Capital- there are stand-in candidates who are over 35 ism by V.I. Lenin $10 $3 * years old who will be on the ballot in states Notebook of an Agitator where that is required, including Mississippi. by James P. Cannon $21.95 $10 NEW INTERNATIONAL: A MAGAZINE OF MARXIST POLITICS AND THEORY The stand-in candidates are James Harris and The Second Declaration of Havana $4.50 $2 * ‡ Margaret Trowe. Mr. Harris was the party’s ‘U.S. Imperialism Has Lost the Cold War’ by Teamster Rebellion $19 $10 * presidential candidate in 1996 and 2000. Ms. Jack Barnes—from New International No. 11 Trowe was the SWP vice-presidential candi- We Are the Heirs of the World’s Revolutions $14 $10 * ‡ date in 2000. Harris and Trowe appeared on by Thomas Sankara $7 * ‡ $3 ‘Imperialism’s March Toward Fascism and the Mississippi ballot during the last presi- Trade Unions in the Epoch of War’ by Jack Barnes—from New International No. 10 dential election and their names were clearly Imperialist Decay $14 $10 * ‡ printed on the petitions that more than 2,000 by Leon Trotsky, with articles by Karl Marx and Mississippians signed this year. ‘Washington’s 50-year Domestic Contra Op- For many workers, farmers, and young Farrell Dobbs $15 $5 eration’ by Larry Seigle—from New International people, Calero and Hawkins, who are young IN THE WORDS OF MALCOLM X No. 6 $15 $10 [In Spanish] 50 años de guer- fi ghters for workers’ rights, are attractive •By Any Means Necessary $15.95 $5 ra encubierta (pamphlet) $7 $3 candidates. If the majority of people in the ‘The Fight for a Workers and Farmers Gov- United States elected Calero and Hawkins, •Habla Malcolm X $15.95 $5 the fact that they are too young would be a ernment in the United States’ by Jack Barnes •Malcolm X Talks to Young People minor problem to solve. Election laws like ‘The Crisis Facing Working Farmers’ by Doug [pamphlet] $4 all other laws can be changed, including the $2 Jenness—from New International No. 4 $14 $10 * available in Spanish ‡ available in French laws in the U.S. constitution. Ms. Harris attempts to use the fact that ORDER ONLINE AT: WWW.PATHFINDERPRESS.COM Continued on next page Also available in bookstores, including those listed on page 8. Offer good until Nov. 7, 2004.

6 The Militant September 7, 2004 SWP on N.Y. ballot

Continued from front page instruments for better working and living conditions facing working people, as a conditions, not just on the factory fl oor but result of the offensive by the bosses and on a social level.” their government trying to shore up declin- Highlighting the Socialist Workers’ call ing profit rates. “The consequences are for “a massive, federally funded public deteriorating conditions on the job, a faster works program to put millions to work at pace that endangers life and limb, longer union scale,” Calero said it’s important for hours, a longer workweek, often needing the labor movement to champion this de- more than one job to survive, and a longer mand as part of transforming the unions into working life,” he said. “Millions of working instruments of struggle to defend working families have no medical coverage or access people from the ravages of the capitalist eco- to medical care.” nomic crisis. “There are enough resources to Calero cited this systemic crisis of capi- put millions to work to build the deteriorat- talism and the resistance to its effects by ing infrastructure,” he said. workers and farmers as the main reasons Working people not only need to defend for the response to the SWP election cam- themselves on the economic level, Calero paign platform. More than 60,000 people added. “We need to organize independently nationwide signed petitions in just over two of the employers on the political level as months to place the socialists on the ballot, well. Socialists call for the launching of a la- he pointed out. bor party, based on the unions, to fi ght in the interests of workers and farmers.” This fl ows Militant/Dan Fien Support right to organize unions from supporting workers’ right and press- Socialist Workers presidential candidate Róger Calero (left) fi les August 17 more than “Our campaign strikes a chord among ing need to organize unions, and defending 30,000 signatures on petitions with elections offi cials in Albany, New York, to place working people,” Calero noted. “At the the labor movement from the employers’ the SWP candidates on November 2 ballot. Among those accompanying Calero is center of our platform is support for the right assaults that are backed by the Democrats Dorothy Kolis, SWP candidate for U.S. Congress in New York’s 16th C.D. of workers to organize unions and to defend and Republicans, he pointed out. themselves from the bosses’ assaults.” The On the eve of the Democratic Party That way, Stern said, the Democratic Party “All out for Kerry!” socialists are using the campaign to help convention, Andrew Stern, president of the could nominate candidates from its more Everything Stern said, however, was spread the word about organizing and other Service Employees International Union pro-union wings. It would then address the wrong, Calero said. labor struggles, he said, to help expand labor (SEIU), stated that in spite of the fact that problems that unionized workers and other The cause of the worsening economic solidarity so that workers can get allies in the SEIU had poured millions of dollars working people face today. and social crisis—from exploitation by the their struggle “to organize a union where into the Democratic Party campaign of John After a few days of pounding by the other bosses to wars of plunder abroad—is not an they don’t have one or to strengthen those Kerry, a victory for Kerry would consolidate labor tops and the leadership of the Demo- individual politician or a particular party they do have.” Calero said there is a need for an even worse Democratic Party for labor. cratic Party, Stern was back in line, saying “unions to become more effective fi ghting Thus it might be better for Kerry to lose. Continued on Page 10 Hundreds in Delaware register socialist to put SWP on ballot BY JOHN STUDER were already registered Socialist Workers. around the world.” end of their sentence. WILMINGTON, Delaware—In the On August 7, the fi rst weekend of the so- She took extra copies of the campaign A number of people who responded fa- effort to put the Socialist Workers presi- cialist voter registration effort, campaign- fl yer and circulated them to others at the vorably to the socialist campaign, however, dential ticket on the ballot in Delaware, ers spread out from Newark, a campus grocery store, urging people to stop and said they continue to be disenfranchised. 509 people throughout the state have reg- town where the University of Delaware is register. By the end of the socialists’ effort, One woman said she had been pressured istered Socialist Workers Party. Socialist located, to Wilmington and surrounding 180 patrons of this store, in the center of the to cop a plea to a frame-up charge under campaigners turned in to election offi cials areas. Their explanation of the need for a city’s Black community, registered SWP to the threat of serving jail time if she went the last 145 registration cards on August working-class alternative to the capitalist put the party’s ticket on the ballot. to trial, and ended up with a record that 21, the last day on which the party could parties received a good response. Campaigners reported that the state of has followed her, including preventing register voters to receive ballot status for “I really like the platform of your party,” Delaware had put one more obstacle in her from registering. Several members of the November 2 elections. one young woman said, as she registered front of many working people trying to another family explained how their father Supporters of the socialist campaign re- SWP after reading what the party stands exercise their right to vote—the state ban had gotten out of prison 30 years ago and doubled their effort in the fi nal week of the and fi ghts for outside the Valu Giant store on letting workers convicted on felony still wasn’t able to vote. voter registration drive after state elections at 4th and Adams in Wilmington. “Espe- charges to register to vote. Four years ago The socialists responded that the SWP authorities claimed that only 107 of the fi rst cially the demand for a shorter work week state law was changed, allowing those with is fi ghting, among other things, for drop- batch of 245 registrants the socialists had to spread jobs around to all who need them, felony convictions to vote after maintaining ping these undemocratic restrictions on the turned in were valid. After organizers of and to get the U.S. troops out of Iraq and a “clean” record for fi ve years following the right to vote. the SWP ballot effort challenged the low validity rate, election offi cials said the rate from the second batch of 108 registrants was better but declined to give a fi gure. In order to obtain ballot status, the SWP campaign answers red-baiting smear state requires a party to have 259 voters Continued from Page 6 Offi ce to qualify their candidates to be on journalist for The Militant and former meat registered to that party. September 1 is the Róger Calero is an immigrant to criminalize the November ballot for President of the packer. deadline for the state to make a determina- him. She states that the “Immigration and United States. On the other hand, Arrin Hawkins, an tion on the ballot request. Naturalization Service failed in their attempt However, the Advocate’s research has African American woman, is also appar- Socialist campaigners have had to over- to deport Calero after his felony conviction.” found that neither the presidential candidate ently constitutionally ineligible to run for come a host of undemocratic restrictions But this is not accurate. Roger Calero nor his vice presidential run- the nation’s second highest offi ce. Hawkins across the country to seek ballot status in Calero and all those who supported him ning mate Arrin Hawkins meet the qualifi ca- claims she is 24 years old—far too young some 14 states. Many state governments scored an outstanding victory, not only for tions to run for the respective offi ces. to meet the minimum legal age requirement require the collection of tens of thousands immigrants but for all working people, The Socialist Workers Party collected for the offi ce. of signatures on nominating petitions, in- when the U.S. government moved to end more than 2,100 signatures across the state The best research—relying on acquain- cluding distribution requirements for the its deportation proceedings against him last to meet the 1,000 signature guideline to tances’ recollections—put Hawkins’ age at signatures in many counties, and payment year. We have proudly used his victory as appear on the ballot, Initially, more than “somewhere between 28 and 30,” still to[o] of fees. All are designed to keep working- a weapon so that others can press for their 200 signatures in Hinds County, collected young to run for vice president. class parties off the ballot so the two major rights, in this country and around the world. primarily from local college students, were A presidential or vice presidential candi- parties of capitalism—the Democrats and The federal government dropped its case rejected. date is required to be at least 35 years old; Republicans—can remain unchallenged. against him because of the widespread However, the Hinds County Election be born in the United States or one of its Over the past 12 years, Delaware offi cials support he won for his fi ght, from union- Commission reversed its decision last week territories or possessions; and live in the have responded to efforts by the Socialist ists, immigrant rights activists, and others. and the signatures were allowed. U.S. or one of its territories or possessions Workers to get on the ballot by changing He fought back, proudly and publicly. He Calero, whose biography suggests he is at least 14 years. the state election laws to make it more dif- refused to be intimidated and that is why only 33-34 years old, was born in Nicara- The Mississippi Secretary of State’s Of- fi cult for socialists and other working-class the government backed down. In the words gua and automatically does not meet the fi ce confi rmed that they had received the candidates to get on the ballot. of the INS, the “circumstances of the case U.S. native requirement. In addition, Calero petitions and fi ling papers, but no decision After the 1992 elections, state legisla- had changed.” Indeed. has a 1988 felony conviction for sale of has yet been made. tors changed the election laws, more than Sincerely, marijuana, another disqualifi cation. “The election board meets in Septem- doubling the number of signatures required Norton Sandler Though she was not willing to make a ber and we will submit all the information for candidates to get on the ballot through SWP National Campaign Director specifi c statement, a spokesperson of the we’ve gathered to them. The decision will the signature petition method. The law Jackson FBI offi ce said Wednesday that this be made from that,” SOS spokesperson Da- now requires 5,200 signatures. That’s why writer’s research is most likely correct. vid Blount said. “Thank you for bringing the socialists decided to seek ballot status The article below was published in the She referred the Advocate to a Houston this information to our attention.” by registering at least 259 people into the August 5-11, 2004, issue of the weekly radio station whose news department report- The Socialist Workers Party issued a press party. newspaper Jackson Advocate under the ed the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization release claiming to be on the ballot in 15 State offi cials put up an additional obsta- headline “Vulnerable Voters Deceived service failed in its attempt to deport Calero states, including Iowa, Utah, Vermont, Colo- cle to ballot access by declaring a March to by Socialist Workers Candidate.” It is after his felony conviction. rado, New Jersey and Washington state. September “moratorium” on people chang- reprinted by permission. A news director at KPFT in Houston The party’s platform claims to support ing party registration. This meant that cam- told the Advocate she remembers the story raising the minimum wage to union scale, paign supporters had to sign up 259 people BY BARBARA HARRIS but did not know many specifi cs because a very popular issue with the working class who were not registered at all to put Calero Workers, black farmers and young adults, though she lives in the city, she was not and those entering the workforce. and Hawkins on the ballot. beware of wolves in sheep’s clothing! employed at the station at the time. Therefore, college students, including In preparing for the effort, campaign sup- Monday, the Socialist Workers Party According to the Advocate’s research, those at Jackson State University, and porters met with election offi cials, and were fi led the required amount of signatures Calero is not even a naturalized citizen. He black farmers across the state are vulner- informed that they had a leg up—11 people with the Mississippi Secretary of State’s is a green card-carrying permanent alien, able voters.

The Militant September 7, 2004 7 Education is a universal, lifetime activity Below is an excerpt from the Pathfi nd- standpoint of the bourgeoisie, two totally er pamphlet The working class and the separate and unrelated questions for two transformation of learning—the fraud of different classes); if we do not present work- education reform under capitalism. The ing-class schooling as the social destruction Spanish-language edition is one of Path- of human solidarity, as the organization of a fi nder’s Books of the Month for August. society based on class differentiation, where In it, Socialist Workers Party national human beings late in their teens become secretary Jack Barnes explains that edu- units of production in the minds of person- cation is part of preparing workers and nel managers and social planners; if we do farmers, “for the greatest of all battles not point to the fundamental issue of truly in the years ahead—the battle to throw universal, lifetime education—if we cannot off the self-image the rulers teach us, and explain education this way, then we cannot to recognize that we are capable of tak- explain it at all. ing power and organizing society, as we But understood and explained correctly, collectively educate ourselves and learn there is no more important question for the exploiters in the process.” Copyright communists. Education as a lifetime ex- © 2000 by Pathfi nder Press. Reprinted perience—I cannot think of a better reason by permission. to make a socialist revolution. What better reason to get rid of the capitalist state, to begin transforming humanity, to begin building human solidarity? BOOKS OF This approach to education is what we Granma have to explain to students, to young people, Volunteer helps Cuban peasants learning to read and write during 1961 literacy drive and to others. If they went to school to get a THE MONTH leg up in life, then they did so due to a mis- understanding—unless they are from a class way, would like to see children and other selecting a school for their daughter, thinking background that already gives them a leg up, BY JACK BARNES people have a better education and become workers recognized further confi rmation of and attended a school that teaches them they In the United States today, under capital- more self-confi dent. I have had some teach- two fundamental realities of class relations deserve it. But youth can be convinced of ism, the only future we can count on is one ers like that, as many of you have. But such under capitalism. First, there is no connec- this working-class perspective, especially as in which education will worsen—in which individuals are not the norm, and they can- tion between the values and public policies they become active in a few political tussles, education will fuel rather than retard social not and will not change the character of sanctimoniously espoused by the ruling lay- and if they haven’t yet been totally coars- differentiation. There will only be “educa- education in bourgeois society. ers and the lives they and their families lead. ened by this society. Young people want tion” to squelch curiosity and creativity. Instead, people are reduced under capi- Second, there is no such thing as classless to match deeds and words. They still have There will only be “education” as regi- talism to hoping things will be different for “education” in capitalist society; schools for vitality—they have not had it ground out of mentation. There will only be “education” your child. Your child somehow will get the working class and schools for the ruling them. They can be attracted politically to the as preparation to rationalize—or simply a decent education, somehow will get to class are qualitatively different things. working class and communist politics, but resent—class polarization. college, somehow will not have the desire If education is not discussed this way, only if we argue with them in this way. I am not saying that everybody involved to learn beaten out of them. Your child then revolutionaries can never be convinc- Rightist movements, as I said, always in education intends for this to happen. somehow will be able to compete with ing. If we start where reformers and liberals try to play on the disappointments and re- There are human beings in this society everybody else and have a better life. throughout the capitalist world begin—with sentments of youth from the lower middle who are not communists and who are not That is what the president of the United my children, my neighborhood, my schools, classes or slightly better-off sections of the workers but who genuinely, in their own States did, isn’t it? Clinton spent nine my problems—then we get nowhere. And working class. That is one of the ways fas- months campaigning about the importance when the reformers start jabbering about cist movements are built. “You worked so of public education—and the whole work- defending all children, reach for your wallet hard for your education,” they say; “Soon “ ing class knew what the Clintons were go- and your watch! They are like the so-called you’ll be raising your children. And now ing to do when they had to choose a school right-to-lifers who defend children in the you’re going to have to pay more taxes for August BOOKS for their daughter, Chelsea. We all knew abstract before they are born, but oppose their children and their elderly;” And the OF THE MONTH what Clinton was going to do. And that anything to advance a truly human life list of “thems” keeps growing. is what he did: he sent her to an exclusive for most actual children from the moment I’ve been convinced for a long time that PATHFINDER private school in Washington. they’re born till the day they die. There is no explaining the communist approach to edu- READERS CLUB 25% Class-conscious workers bore no resent- universal education under capitalism; there cation is part of preparing the working class ment toward William, Hillary, or Chelsea is no such thing as education “for all.” There for the greatest of all battles in the years SPE CIALS DISCOUNT Clinton because of this decision. Envy of the is only “education” for the working class, ahead—the battle to throw off the self-image An Introduction to the Logic propertied classes and their spokespersons is and a completely different kind of “educa- the rulers teach us, and to recognize that we of Marxism not a revolutionary or proletarian trait; it is tion” for the small propertied minority. are capable of taking power and organizing encouraged not by communists but by fas- If we do not explain education under cap- society, as we collectively educate ourselves By George Novack cists. But in watching the Clintons go about italism as a class question (that is, from the and learn the exploiters in the process. An explanation of the dialectical materialist approach to understanding IF YOU LIKE THIS PAPER, LOOK US UP the world. $14.00 Where to find distrib u tors of the Zip: 48244-0739. Tel: (313) 554-0504. 9698. E-mail: [email protected] Special price: Militant, Perspectiva Mundial, and E-mail: [email protected] CANADA $10.50 New International, and a full display of MINNESOTA: St. Paul: 113 Bernard St., Pathfi nder books. West St. Paul. Zip: 55118. Tel: (651) 644- QUEBEC: Montreal: 6955 Boul 6325. E-mail: [email protected] St-Michel, Suite 202. Postal code: H2A UNITED STATES 2Z3. Tel: (514) 284-7369. E-mail: lc_ The Crisis of the French NEBRASKA: Omaha: P.O. Box 7005. Zip: [email protected] ALABAMA: Birmingham: 3029A 68107. E-mail: [email protected] Section (1935–36) ONTARIO: Toronto: 2238 Dundas St. Bessemer Road. Zip: 35208. Tel: (205) 780- NEW JERSEY: Newark: 168 Bloomfi eld By Leon Trotsky 0021. E-mail: [email protected] West, Suite 201, M6r 3A9 Tel: (416) 535- $22.00 Special price: $16.50 Avenue, 2nd Floor. Zip: 07104. Tel: (973) 9140. E-mail: [email protected] CALIFORNIA: Los Angeles: 4229 481-0077. E-mail: [email protected] S. Central Ave. Zip: 90011. Tel: (323) FRANCE La clase trabajadora y NEW YORK: Manhattan: 306 W. 37th 233-9372. E-mail: [email protected] Street, 10th floor. Zip: 10018. Tel: (212) Paris: P.O. 175, 23 rue Lecourbe. la transformación de San Fran cisco: 3926 Mission St. Zip: 629-6649. E-mail: [email protected] Postal code: 75015. Tel: (01) 40-10-28-37. la educación 94112. Tel: (415) 584-2135. E-mail:swpsf E-mail: [email protected] @sbcglobal.net OHIO: Cleveland: 11018 Lorain Ave. By Jack Barnes Zip: 44111. Tel: (216) 688-1190. E-mail: ICELAND “Until society is COLORADO: Craig: 11 West Victory [email protected] Way, Suite 205. Zip: 81625. Mailing address: Reykjavík: Skolavordustig 6B. Mailing reorganized so P.O. Box 1539. Zip: 81626. Tel: (970) 824- PENNSYLVANIA: Hazleton: 69 North address: P. Box 0233, IS 121 Reykjavík. Tel: that education is a 6380.E-mail: [email protected] Wyoming St. Zip: 18201. Tel: (570) 454- 552 5502. E-mail: [email protected] human activity from 8320. Email: [email protected] FLORIDA: Miami: 8365 NE 2nd Philadelphia: 5237 N. 5th St. Zip: 19120. NEW ZEALAND the time we are very Ave. #206 Zip: 33138. Tel: (305) 756- Tel: (215) 324-7020. E-mail: Philadelphia Auckland: Suite 3, 7 Mason Ave., young until the time 4436. E-mail: [email protected]; [email protected] Pittsburgh: 5907 Penn we die, there will Tampa: 1441 E. Fletcher, Suite 421. Otahuhu. Postal address:P.O. Box 3025. Tel: Ave. Suite 225. Zip. 15206. Tel: (412) 365- (9) 276-8885.E-mail: milpath.auckland@ac be no eductation Zip: 33612. Tel: (813) 910-8507. E-mail: 1090. E-mail: [email protected] [email protected] trix.gen.nz worthy of work- TEXAS: Houston: 4800 W. 34th St. Suite GEORGIA: Atlanta: 2791 Lakewood Christchurch: Gloucester Arcade, ing, creating humanity.” Also in English, C-51A. Zip: 77092. Tel: (713) 869-6550. E- 129 Gloucester St. Postal address: P.O. Ave. Zip: 30315. Mailing address: P.O. Box mail: [email protected] French. $3.00 Special price: $1.00 162515. 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Tel: (02) 9718 [email protected] 8 The Militant September 7, 2004 GREAT SOCIETY He does have problems—Three and called it a “problem shooting.” be too ill to cause harm.”—News said many more likely have the dis- exceeding air pollution standards, Los Angeles cops killed Erick Je- Los Angeles Times. item. ease but haven’t required medical not enough to deter them from attention.”—USA Today—July 29. repeated violations, according Not so ‘humane’—“Phoenix, A bright future—Halliburton, to an environmental group's re- Arizona—Medical examiners the big-time builder, held job fairs Get with the program—Thou- view.”—Los Angeles Times. have found that Taser electric in 22 cities, and recruited 112 peo- sands of young people are surgi- Harry stun guns may have played a role ple for jobs in Iraq. The company cally altering their appearance Don’t squeeze the meat—Lon- in at least fi ve deaths, contradict- has a $4.5 billion Pentagon contract each year. Teenagers “are hav- don supermarkets are pumping 13 Ring ing the manufacturer’s claim that in Iraq for rebuilding projects. Hal- ing breasts enlarged, noses and percent water into fresh, expensive they never killed or injured any- liburton says those taking the jobs ears reshaped and skin peeled pork. “Water added” labels are one…”—Arizona Daily Sun. can make $60,000 to $110,000 a and plumped. In 2003, almost added on the meat packages, but year, working an 84 hour week. 336,000 teens 18 or younger had so artfully designed that consum- rome Garcia, 36, at a Greyhound bus How compassionate can they We don’t know if life insurance is some kind of cosmetic surgery or ers are not likely to notice. Earlier station. They said he was behaving get?—“Jackson, Mississippi—The available. procedure, a 50 percent increase in the United Kingdom there was erratically. Two fi red with guns, and Mississippi Department of Correc- over 2002.”—News item. a major expose of water-injected the third with a high voltage Taser tions is considering the early re- Care for the colony—“U.S. chickens. gun. The killing was filmed by lease of as many as 20 terminally territory, Puerto Rico—Some 102 Parking tickets—“Oil refi ner- fi ve Greyhound security cameras. ill inmates. Those who qualify in cases of viral meningitis have been ies, power plants and other in- Reminder—You can now send Police Chief William Bratton said the late stages of diseases such as reported in Puerto Rico since an dustrial operations typically pay e-mail clippings directly to: thegre there were “a lot of tactical issues” cancer and lung disease and would outbreak began last week. Offi cials fi nes of a few thousand dollars for [email protected]. The FBI’s 50-year record of provocation, disruption

Below are excerpts from the article labor radicalization, the capitalist rulers de- “Washington’s 50-year domestic contra cided against a federal secret police agency. operation.” The article appears in full in They relied instead on city and state cops issue no. 6 of New International, a maga- with well-established “bomb squads” and zine of Marxist politics and theory. (See “radical units” and on state national guard ad on page 7 for Pathfi nder Supersaver units in cases of extreme necessity. These Sale price.) It addresses a question of local and state agencies had intimate con- vital interests to workers and farmers nections with antilabor “citizens” organiza- throughout the world—the fi ght against tions organized by the employers and with attacks on democratic rights and political hated private detective agencies, such as freedom by the FBI, CIA, and other U.S. the Pinkertons, with long experience in government police agencies. Copyright © union busting. 1987 by Pathfi nder. Reprinted by permis- By the mid 1930s, however, a vast social sion. Subheading is by the Militant. movement was on the rise, with the Con- gress of Industrial Organizations (CIO) at the forefront. The relationship of forces was BY LARRY SEIGLE shifting in favor of working-class organiza- The FBI was working overtime to coun- tions. The bosses’ old methods could no ter the growing civil rights fi ght. The facts longer always be counted on. Communist about the FBI’s crusade against the Black perspectives did not come close to com- movement in this period unfortunately manding majority support among working remain largely unknown and only sketch- people, and in fact remained the views of ily documented publicly. What is known, a small minority, but the bosses were however, makes it abundantly clear that the nonetheless concerned that progressive FBI’s campaign of slander, frame-up, black- Militant anticapitalist and anti-imperialist political mail, and assassination against Malcolm Cop photographs protesters at demonstration against U.S. policy toward Iraq in positions advanced by class-struggle-mind- X, Martin Luther King, the Black Panther Birmingham, Alabama, Feb. 19, 1998. ed union leaders were winning a hearing Party, and other fi ghters for Black rights in among a substantial section of the ranks of the 1960s was not an aberration. It was the labor. Especially in times of crisis, such as continuation of a course that began the day editors that if they did not change the tone cal police force, carrying out the arrest or war, minority points of view defended by that the Roosevelt administration called on of their papers, he was “going to shut them deportation of some 3,000 unionists and established and respected working-class the FBI to go after “subversives.” all up” on charges of sedition…. political activists in 1920 (the infamous fi ghters could rapidly gain support. In fact, from the standpoint of the Justice Biddle’s threats of prosecution for sedi- “Palmer Raids”). But following wide- With this in mind, the administration of Department and FBI, the Black population tion did not come out of the blue. The editors spread protests over these and other FBI President Franklin Roosevelt expanded and as a whole was, if not subversive, at least he was threatening knew that leaders of the actions, and with the decline of the postwar centralized federal police power. suspect. The FBI prepared a secret wartime Teamster union and the Socialist Workers “Survey of Racial Conditions in the United Party had been convicted in Minneapolis in States” for the benefit of the Roosevelt 1941 for violation of the Smith Act, which administration. In this 714-page report, the outlawed advocacy of revolutionary ideas. 25 AND 50 YEARS AGO FBI explored the question—deeply trou- In addition, sedition indictments had been bling to them—of “why particular Negroes brought in September 1942 against sixty- or groups of Negroes or Negro organizations three members of the Temple of Islam (the have evidenced sentiments for other ‘dark Black Muslims), including its leader Elijah races’ (mainly Japanese), or by what forces Muhammad. The Muslims were accused of they were infl uenced to adopt in certain sedition because they refused to accept the September 7, 1979 September 6, 1954 instances un-American ideologies….” racist, anti-Japanese stereotypes that were The following is a description of how DETROIT—In a full front-page attack The NAACP in particular, which a major part of U.S. war propaganda and neighborhood committees in Managua on the policy of accepting wage cuts to was growing rapidly in size and activ- expressed solidarity with the Japanese as [Nicaragua] are organized, as told to “enhance” each individual company’s ity, was targeted for infi ltration by FBI a people of color. Although the Justice ‘Militant’ reporters by a leader of the “competitive position,” Ford Local 600’s stool pigeons and provocateurs. When Department could not make the sedition committee in the Monseñor Lescano newspaper Ford Facts today declared: “NO fi fteen Black sailors assigned as waiters charge stick, it did succeed in convicting neighborhood. WAGE CUTS AT FORD’S—WILL FIGHT for white offi cers in Washington, D.C., Elijah Muhammad and the other defendants Civil defense committees and people’s FOR INCREASE IN ’55.” protested racial discrimination, the navy’s on draft-evasion charges. action committees were formed before Without directly attacking CIO and response was to ask the FBI to investigate The government blocked shipment to the insurrection, when we saw the need United Auto Workers President Walter Re- the protesters. The FBI obliged by opening troops overseas of Black newspapers that to organize people to prepare them for the uther, the offi cers of the country’s largest a full-fl edged, nationwide “investigation,” continued to publish condemnations of eventuality of war. union local take issue with the course set including the massive use of informers, racism and other “unhelpful” facts and We needed people who could offer by Reuther when he approved the pay slash against the NAACP. opinions. These papers were also often medicine and food, and we needed to in- by Studebaker corporation. “FBI investigation of the NAACP [dur- confi scated on military bases in the United struct people to produce shelters in their “Approximately 20,000 Kaiser, Stude- ing the war]…produced massive informa- States. homes for protection against the bombing baker and Nash workers are forced by their tion in Bureau fi les about the organization, Early in 1943, at Biddle’s urging, the U.S. and shelling. We needed committees for employers under the threat of losing their its members, their legitimate activities to Post Offi ce began proceedings to suspend civil defense, supplies, and health, and also jobs, to accept pay cuts—which trend, if oppose racial discrimination, and internal the second-class mailing rights of several vigilance committees to detect Somocista followed to its ultimate conclusion, could disputes within some of the chapters,” a newspapers with uncompromising stands groups that might be on the loose. eventually jeopardize the wage and job U.S. Senate committee concluded in 1975. against race discrimination. These included With the victory of the insurrection, we security of more than one million Ford, But these “reports and their summaries the Militant, whose contributors and editors have initiated the task of organizing our- General Motors, Chrysler and other work- contained little if any information about included members of the Socialist Workers selves to defend our Sandinista revolution. ers,” states Ford Facts. specifi c activities or planned activities in Party. The Postmaster General banned the So the civil defense committees became Only three days before this statement, the violation of federal law.” Militant from the mails on the grounds, Sandinista Defense Committees (CDS). danger it warns against was emphasized by In mid-1942 Attorney General Fran- among others, that its articles included We also have militias in each neighbor- what the press described as the “dramatic, cis Biddle summoned several editors of “stimulation of race issues.” All fi ghters hood. They are independent of the neighbor- unprecedented action” of Chrysler Corp. Black weeklies to Justice Department for Black rights were supposed to get the hood committees, and are tied directly to the president L .L. Colbert appearing as the headquarters in Washington, D.C. Biddle point. The Militant won restoration of its army. They handle problems of a military main speaker at a closed session of the arrogantly told the editors that their cover- mailing rights after a year-long battle that nature, for example, leftovers from the So- UAW’s Chrysler Council. age of clashes between white and Black included the mobilization of protests from mocista forces that might be around. According to “leaks” to the Detroit Free soldiers at army bases was a disservice to leaders of Black groups, trade unions, and We are on a campaign footing to carry out Press, Colbert threatened the secret ses- the war effort. Biddle did not challenge the civil liberties organizations…. this revolution in an organized way—block sion—about which the UAW leaders have accuracy of the reports but nonetheless in- by block, neighborhood by neighborhood, F.D.R. unleashes FBI kept silent—that it would be “bad” for the sisted that the information should not have city by city, province by province—until Chrysler workers if they did not “get going” been printed. The attorney general, a liberal For several years after the First World we have an organization that will ensure and improve the “poor competitive position” and staunch Roosevelt supporter, told the War, the FBI had functioned as a politi- the triumph of the revolution. of Chrysler corporation.

The Militant September 7, 2004 9 EDITORIAL New York ballot Continued from page 7 It’s not who you’re against; holding offi ce, but the capitalist system and the tiny handful of billionaire families that perpetuate their rule at the expense of the vast majority, he said. It’s what you are for! The capitalist class has two parties, the Democrats and Repub- licans, he pointed out. Their two-party system is a trap designed to Continued from front page many—who are not accepting the U.S. government’s hoodwink working people into thinking that we have choice and be found there. Kerry has worked hard to portray lead rapidly enough. Having consolidated a “New Eu- to keep us from attacking the real problem, capitalism. “Anyone himself as a “war hero” for fi ghting in Washington’s rope”-based “coalition of the willing,” Washington is trying to convince working people that one wing of the Democratic imperialist military against the Vietnamese people in increasing its blackmail through intensifying military Party can be a better friend of labor than another, is reinforcing the 1970s. He insists he will do better than Bush in pressures against Iran, north Korea, Syria, and other this two-party con game,” Calero said. pursuing the “war on terrorism”—the code word all countries. “You’re next!”—that’s the brutal message Calero described the socialists’ stance in solidarity with working imperialists use today to tell anyone resisting their of the imperialist “war on terrorism.” people on a world scale, and in support of the efforts of power-poor domination that the Iraq treatment may be around At the same time, the imperialists in the United semicolonial nations to acquire and develop the energy sources the corner for them. Kerry was quick to side with States, the European Union, and elsewhere are necessary to expand electrifi cation, a pre requisite for economic Bush’s endorsement of Ariel Sharon’s “settlement maintaining their decades-long hostility and punitive and social advancement. He said he is using his campaign to plan” and backs Tel Aviv’s murderous policies—aid- policies toward the people of Cuba and their social- expose the drive by Washington and its allies to prevent nations ing the Israeli regime to make the most progress it has ist revolution. And they are preparing to intervene oppressed by imperialism—such as Iran, Brazil, north Korea, and achieved in years in keeping the Palestinian people anywhere in the Americas, especially in Venezuela, India—from developing the sources of energy they need, including under its boot. where workers and farmers resist attempts by the local nuclear power, to bring millions out of darkness. The Democrats’ insistence that the wealthy rulers propertied classes and their imperialist allies to turn Dorothy Kolis, the SWP candidate for U.S. Congress in New need better domestic intelligence is contributing to back the clock. York’s 16th C.D., denounced recent disruption operations by the latest disruption operations by provocateurs of the The Socialist Workers candidates call for the im- provocateurs from the FBI and local police (see article on page FBI and other police agencies. On other domestic so- mediate and unconditional withdrawal of U.S. and 4). “This can only have a chilling effect on the right of people to cial and economic policies, Kerry is following in the all other imperialist troops not only from Iraq, but protest, which is a constitutionally protected right, and is aimed footsteps of his predecessor William Clinton, famous Afghanistan, Yugoslavia, Korea, Haiti, Colombia, and at disrupting and infi ltrating unions and other organizations,” she for “ending welfare as we know it.” Guantánamo Bay, Cuba. They say U.S. hands off Iran said. “We join with others in protesting this assault and will be in Kerry also tries to paint himself as a defender of and Venezuela! the streets during the Republican National Convention.” women’s rights. But he says he wants abortion to be The SWP candidates also explain that U.S. imperial- legal but rare, while it should be a woman’s right to ism is far from all-powerful. Its historic decline has to Foreign born and running for president choose. Kerry and the Democratic Party leadership do with the long-term economic catastrophe capitalism Responding to a question from a reporter on whether Calero also have a record of promoting cuts in federal fund- is dragging humanity toward—Washington’s Achilles’ met the constitutional requirements to run for offi ce, Calero re- ing for abortion, beginning shortly after the Supreme heel. Resistance by working people in the U.S. and sponded, “the laws can change, and have changed in this country.” Court decriminalized the procedure in 1973, that have other imperialist countries to the grinding effects of He pointed out the undemocratic election laws and noted that not severely curtailed access to abortion, especially for this crisis is the biggest obstacle fi nance capital faces. so long ago you had to be 21 years old to vote, and that Blacks working-class women. Since the end of the 1990s, the long-term retreat of the were denied the right to vote as well. “As more foreign born in the Working people lose with either the Democrats or labor movement bottomed out in most of the imperial- United States are drawn into politics, more people are beginning the Republicans—the two main parties of capital- ist world. This sea change in working-class politics has to demand that foreign-born residents be allowed to vote and run ism. opened modest but genuine and ongoing opportunities for offi ce. We support these changes and support extending full Smaller capitalist parties, like the Greens, or pro- for militant workers to integrate themselves into, and rights to anybody who works and lives in this country. This can capitalist campaigns like that by the “independent” to respond to, resistance by trade unionists and others only strengthen the working class.” ticket of Ralph Nader and Peter Camejo, serve as to the bosses’ assaults—from coal mines in the western Explaining the opportunity to present a working-class alternative pressure groups on the Democratic Party, reinforc- United States, to meatpacking plants in the Midwest, to the tens of thousands of young people, unionists, and others who ing the shell game of the twin parties of American to garment factories in the South and elsewhere. will converge on the streets in New York City to protest leading imperialism. At the heart of the Socialist Workers campaign is up to and during the Republican National convention, Calero said, The Socialist Workers presidential ticket of Róger support for the right of workers to organize unions and “While we whole heartedly agree and join with those who say Calero and Arrin Hawkins and other SWP candidates to defend ourselves against the bosses’ assaults on our ‘Defeat Bush!’ we also say ‘Defeat Kerry too!’ Don’t vote for the across the United States are the only ones offering an jobs, wages, working conditions, and dignity. Work- man, vote for the program. Nothing has changed in this country independent working-class alternative to the Democrats ing people not only need to defend ourselves on the by voting for individual capitalist politicians. The Republicans and Republicans and other “third” capitalist parties. economic level. We need to organize independently of and Democrats are the twin parties of imperialist war, economic We urge you to support their campaign and vote the employers on the political arena, too. Socialists call depression, and racist oppression. Smaller capitalist parties run- Socialist Workers in 2004. Vote for the program, not for the formation of a labor party, based on the unions, ning in these elections, like the Greens and the Libertarians, or the man or the woman. What counts is not who you that fi ghts in the interests of workers and farmers. the Nader-Camejo ticket, also serve the interests of American are against, but what you are for! Socialist candidates also explain that working peo- imperialism’s two-party system.” Calero and Hawkins explain that the problem is ple are the only social force that can end imperialism “We are out to win,” said Arrin Hawkins, in response to a ques- not individual politicians, like Bush or Kerry, or even and its wars and change the course of humanity. The tion from a reporter who asked if the intention of the campaign their parties. The cause of the worsening economic working class and its allies on the land can do so by was to just get the message out. Referring to the “third party” and social crisis is the capitalist system and the tiny following their line of march toward overturning capi- campaigns of the Greens and Ralph Nader, Hawkins said that handful of billionaire families that perpetuate their talist rule, establishing a government of workers and these are not independent from the ruling class, but pro-capitalist rule at the expense of the vast majority. farmers, and joining the worldwide struggle for social- campaigns that operate within the “Dump Bush” framework and Imperialist war is rooted in the same profi t-driven ism—a system based not on maximizing the profi ts of serve as pressure groups on the Democratic Party. “Capitalism system. a few already wealthy families but on human solidarity as a system cannot be reformed,” she said. “We need a party and Through Washington’s deadly lightning assault on and meeting the needs of the vast majority. a movement that can lead working people through revolution- Iraq in 2003, and its continuing occupation of that Join us in campaigning for the working-class alter- ary struggle to overthrow capitalism, put in place a workers and country, the U.S. rulers have dealt blows to competi- native in November and beyond! Join us in campaign- farmers government in the United States, and join the worldwide tors in “Old Europe”—particularly France and Ger- ing for socialism! struggle for socialism.” The Greens and Nader campaigns had fi led petitions for bal- lot status in New York. According to state election offi cials, the Greens’ petition has been challenged. “Our campaign does not end on election day,” Calero added. “We will continue to campaign and extend support to those fi ght- ing to defend their living and working conditions. Every one of Harassment complaint at Smithfi eld our candidates will continue to do so after November 2. If we Continued from page 2 permanently disabled and unable to fi nd employment organize ourselves and we do it well, we can increase the number employees who supported the union and that in eastern North Carolina.” of victories that can be scored by our class. In that sense we are the company told me it was either my job or “My supervisor was making us work faster and out to win.” theirs. I’m here because Smithfield Foods faster, get out the product,” José Sauceda, a Mexican- Millie Sánchez and Willie Cotton, SWP candidates for U.S. asked me to lie on an affidavit [to the NLRB] born worker there, told a congressional panel. “I was Congress in New York’s 8th and 15th C.D.s respectively, were and made me choose between my job and telling the rushing and I reached for a loin and I got my hand also present. Local TV and newspapers covered the press confer- truth.” The company fi red Buffkin shortly before a 1998 caught in the saw.” ence. NLRB hearing. Other companies have also opened plants in the state, “At fi rst glance, Róger Calero seems like a perfect presidential James Blount, another former supervisor who was operating under similar conditions. They employ tens of candidate for the Socialist Workers Party,” said an article published fi red for similar reasons, told the Charlotte Observer thousands of workers, many of them Latino. in the August 18 Albany Times Union. that the company has routinely cheated workers out of It is estimated that nearly half a million Latinos now “He is young, energetic and passionate about the party’s signa- overtime pay. Regardless of when workers clock out, live in North Carolina, up from 76,000 in 1990. Ac- ture issue—gaining rights for low-income, nonunionized work- he said, “they only get paid for what a crew leader cording to the Charlotte Observer, on-the-job injuries ers—and even experienced their plight as a meat packer in Iowa. writes down.” and illnesses resulting in time off work among Latinos “Only problem is, Calero, 35, cannot legally be president. Born The Smithfi eld plant in Tar Heel is the largest hog jumped 19 percent in 1998 and another 24 percent two in Nicaragua, he is still a citizen there. He has lived in the United processing plant in the world, with nearly 6,000 work- years later. States since 1985 and has a green card allowing him to work here, ers and a very high turnover rate. Workers at the plant A year ago, the UFCW launched a video on the de- but the U.S. Constitution mandates the president be a natural-born slaughter about 32,000 hogs per day over two shifts. cade-long struggle by Smithfi eld workers to organize American…. According to company fi gures, 85 percent of the a union at the Tar Heel plant. Among other facts, the “Norton Sandler, national campaign director for the Socialist workforce comes from oppressed nationalities. About documentary provides evidence that the bosses foster Workers Party, said that in about half the states where the party 60 percent of the workers are Latino, and most of the divisions along race lines as part of their antilabor cam- is on the ballot, it is fi elding a slate of ‘stand-in’ candidates, who, rest are Black. paign aimed at keeping the union out. Managers threaten if elected, would champion a constitutional amendment to allow As many as 20 percent of Smithfi eld workers at workers who are Black with replacement by Latinos, Calero to be president and step aside to make way for him after Tar Heel spend their fi rst six months as temporary while they try to scare Latino workers with deportation it passed.” employees hired by the Labor Ready agency. These and tell them that African-Americans are trying to get workers are paid lower wages and have no health or them out of the plant. other benefi ts. “They say Latinos are all going to get fi red,” Jorge, the 21-year-old son of Tar Heel worker Evelyn Ortíz, PERSPECTIVA MUNDIAL Unsafe working conditions who is a union supporter, told the Observer. “At least A Spanish-language so cial ist mag a zine North Carolina state authorities have cited and with the union, they can help us.” Special offer for new read ers: $5 for 4 months fi ned the plant several times since it opened in 1992 Send your order to Perspectiva Mundial, for serious work safety violations. According to the Janice Lynn is a member of UFCW Local 27 at Smith- 307 W. 36th St. 10th Floor, New York, NY 10018 UFCW, “hundreds of former Smithfi eld workers are fi eld Packing in Landover, Maryland. 10 The Militant September 7, 2004 Abortion is a woman’s right to choose! Printed below are excerpts from Abor- Prior to the emergence of the feminist tion Is a Woman’s Right! by Pat Grogan and movement in the late 1960s, many supporters Evelyn Reed, one of the titles featured in of legal abortion presented their arguments the Pathfi nder Supersaver Sale advertised in terms of population control—arguments on page 6. Copyright © 1985 by Pathfi nder that are used to bolster the racist practice of Press, reprinted by permission. Subhead- forced sterilization. ings are by the Militant. The feminist movement put the axis for the fi ght to legalize abortion where it belonged— BY PAT GROGAN on the right of women to control their own On January 22, 1973, women won their bodies. It was on this basis that majority sup- most important victory in decades. port for legal abortion was won. The U.S. Supreme Court, in Roe vs. Wade, Because of the stakes involved in the ruled that women had the constitutional right fi ght for abortion rights, this right was never to have abortions. The ruling legalized abor- secure. tion through the fi rst twenty-four weeks of Several years ago, Democrats and Repub- pregnancy and struck down all laws that licans alike began to step up their attacks on restricted that right. the right to abortion. For the fi rst time the right of women to de- cide whether or not to bear children—not the 1976 Hyde Amendment state, church, husband, father, or priest—was The Hyde Amendment, passed by Con- recognized. gress in 1976, was the most serious blow. The women’s liberation movement saw re- It cut off Medicaid funding for abortions, productive freedom as the most fundamental except in cases of rape, incest, or when a right of women, a precondition for full equal- woman’s life is in danger. In May 1981, Militant/Argiris Malapanis ity and liberation. Without the right to control Congress cut off funds even in cases of rape Nearly a million young women, men, and others turned out for the April 25 march in her own body, a woman could not exercise and incest. Washington, D.C., to support a woman’s right to choose abortion. effective control over her life. In October 1984, Congress once again Beginning in the 1960s, contraception was denied abortion funding for victims of rape a much more diffi cult task. can control their childbearing functions, it becoming more available and accepted, but it and incest. Of course, legalized abortion cannot allows them to begin to participate more was not foolproof—and still isn’t. Advances Since the Hyde Amendment was passed, solve all the problems facing women. But fully in all aspects of social life. The right to in medical science had made abortion a safe, thirty-six states have cut off state funding for the right to choose is the most fundamental choose means qualitatively more freedom simple, medical procedure. But in most abortions. step toward women being able to achieve and mobility for women. states, abortion was against the law. Women This strikes hardest at Black women, Lati- full equality. We’ve already seen this in the 12 years were forced to bear children against their will, nas, and the poorest women. It is part of the That’s why after women began pouring that abortion has been legal. Even though or risk dangerous—and often deadly—illegal attack against the right of all women to abor- into the work force in the last three decades, access to it is far from universal, it has or self-induced abortions. tion and lays the basis for further attempts to the question of legalizing abortion became meant signifi cant changes in the lives of In 1969, the year before New York State restrict abortion rights. a burning issue for millions. When women millions of women. adopted liberalized abortion laws—a step In the years 1978 and 1979 alone, almost that laid the basis for the later Supreme 1.5 million women were unable to obtain Court victory—approximately 210,000 abortions, either because of lack of facilities women entered city hospitals due to abor- or inability to pay.... FBI disruption operations tion complications. [New York’s Cardinal John O’Connor ar- Continued from Page 4 them to cancel their trip to Boston, they The restrictions on abortion were powerful gues] that abortion is murder and that women economics student at the University of said. Denise Lieberman, legal director for and barbaric chains on women. Black women who have abortions are, therefore, guilty of the ACLU in St. Louis, which is represent- and Latinas suffered the most from the ille- murdering children. Missouri-Kansas City, agreed to meet with agents, but refused to answer their questions ing the three men, all in their early 20s, gal status of abortion. Eighty percent of the Abortion is not murder. It is a simple medi- said that prosecutors informed them that hundreds of women who died each year were cal procedure that terminates a pregnancy. without a lawyer. “They told me that in their experience that when somebody didn’t want they are targets of a “domestic terrorism” Black and Spanish-speaking women. Abortion is key to allowing women to decide investigation, but have not provided any And many Black women and Latinas were whether and when to bear children.... to talk to them, that meant they probably had something to hide,” he said. justifi cation. forced to submit to sterilization in order to Offi cial statistics show that during the Cops in the streets of New York have been obtain an abortion. 1960s, when abortion was illegal, thousands Three others from Missouri who had planned to protest at the Democratic recently harassing and trying to intimidate of women were maimed and hundreds died street vendors and political street campaign- each year as a result of botched abortions. convention were followed and questioned by agents, and later subpoenaed to testify ers, sometimes shutting them down or forcing Support Women’s Right to Choose We have no way of knowing how many other them to move. abortion mortalities were reported as deaths before a federal grand jury. This forced due to “severe hemorrhaging” or “miscar- riage.” In fact, it was outrage at the killings and maimings resulting from illegal abortion that helped spur women to demand an end MILITANT LABOR FORUMS to antiabortion laws. Legal abortions save NEW YORK AUSTRALIA lives—women’s lives.... Manhattan Sydney Forcing a woman to bear a child against It’s Not Who You’re Against, It’s Speak Out to Demand Justice for her will is a brutal denial of a woman’s What You’re For. Meet the Socialist TJ Hickey, Prosecute the Killer humanity and dignity. Workers Candidates in 2004 Róger Cops Speakers: Virginia Hickey, TJ’s Calero for president, Arrin Hawkins Necessary in fi ght for equal rights aunt; Ray Jackson, president, Indig- for vice president. Sat., Aug. 28. Din- enous Social Justice Association; Ron Saturday, August 28 Bearing a child affects all the other as- ner at 7 p.m., program at 8 p.m. Poulsen, Communist League candi- 11:00 a.m. pects and decisions of a woman’s life—her The Meaning of the Republican Con- date in Australian Federal elections. Assemble Cadman Plaza, Brooklyn ability to get an education, get a better vention and Protests Surrounding It Fri., Sept. 3, 7 p.m. 3/281-7 Beamish 12:00 p.m. March across the Brooklyn Bridge job—or any job. As long as women are vul- Fri., Sept 3. Dinner at 7 p.m., program St., Campsie (upstairs in arcade near 1:00 p.m. Rally at City Hall Park, Manhattan nerable to unwanted pregnancies, breaking th Sponsored by Planned Parenthood, NARAL Pro-Choice at 8 p.m. Both events at 307 W 36 St. Evaline St.). Suggested donation $4/ down economic and social barriers on the th New York, the National Organization for Women, others. 10 Floor. Tel: (212) 629-6649. $2. Tel: (02) 9718-9698. job, in education, and in the home becomes LETTERS Investigation in Cyprus the Cypriot police to admit that it is tion takes issue with some of the “Above all, the North Ameri- cover up this history. Novack, in The Crime Investigation Divi- carrying out the investigation, after main points raised in a “Books of can Indians knew no such thing the same article, explains… “An sion of the Republic of Cyprus has orders from the U.S. embassy. Sup- the Month” club article on George as private property in land, which understanding of the customs of launched an investigation of Petros port has come from many quarters, Novack’s “Genocide against the is the basis of all other kinds of the Indians and the reasons for Evdokas, at the request of the U.S. including the Union of Editors in American Indians”. private ownership in the means their extinction may raise doubts embassy in Cyprus, to determine Cyprus, regardless of their stance Katawasisiw says Novack of production. When the whites about the immortality of private whether he constitutes a “threat to on the referendum. “characterizes ‘our’ (Indian) social arrived, there was not one acre property and the standards of U.S. interests.” Evdokas is a long-time activist organization incorrectly …” He from the Atlantic to the Pacifi c bourgeois life. …Does it not indi- The investigations began after in rapprochement efforts between goes on to argue that the ancient that belonged to a private person, cate that, at least so far as the past Evdokas published an article this the island’s Greek- and Turkish- Cree social organization was not that could be alienated from the is concerned, communism is not spring relating to a referendum, Cypriot communities, divided a form of primitive communism: community or assigned to anyone quite so alien to American soil as it dubbed the Annan Plan after the since the 1974 coup by Athens and “We Cree people did not consider outside the tribe.” (pp. 28– 29) is pictured by the witch-hunters?” UN secretary general, which was subsequent invasion by Ankara. the land as our property…” It is based on these facts of tribal (pp. 25–26) presented to the Cypriot people as Supporters are asking for But it is Katawasisiw who has collectivism in North American In- Mike Galati “the last chance” to reunify their statements demanding that this made the incorrect assumption dian social life, facts that were well New York, New York island. harassment stop to be sent to the here. To describe North American documented over a century ago, As the Militant has reported on Embassy of Cyprus and the U.S. Native social organization as a that justify the conclusion that In- embassy in your country, or to the form of primitive communism dian social organization at the time several occasions, far from a for- The letters column is an open mula for reunifi cation, the plan U.S. State Department for those in involves no such assumption that of the arrival of European settlers the United States. Native Tribes considered the land could still be characterized as a forum for all viewpoints on institutionalizes partition along sub jects of interest to working ethnic lines, prevents the return Natasha Terlexis as their “property.” In a section of form of primitive communism. Athens, Greece the Chapter “The conquest of the Finally, Katawasisiw misses peo ple. of most refugees, and further en- Please keep your letters brief. trenches intervention on the island Indians” from the book America’s completely the political impor- Revolutionary Heritage that was tance of the these facts of Indian Where necessary they will be by London, Athens, and Ankara. Native Americans abridged. Please indicate if you The Cypriot authorities went as In a letter printed in the June 7 not in the original column printed social life and why the capitalist in the Militant, Novack explains class and it’s paid apologists in prefer that your initials be used far as to interrogate Evdokas’ fam- Militant, Nehi Katawasisw, a mem- rath er than your full name. ily. A public campaign has forced ber of the Pipihkisis Cree First Na- this clearly: academia distort, efface, and The Militant September 7, 2004 11 Cuban teachers aid Maori literacy BY MICHAEL TUCKER wananga in April, had been part of the lit- rights for all.” AUCKLAND, New Zealand—Cuba eracy program in Venezuela. “If countries The participation trains numerous literacy teachers “not be- ask, we help for as long as they want our of the Cuban teach- cause we face illiteracy in Cuba, but because help,” he told the meeting. In addition to ers in the Greenlight we have a great task to help humanity,” said collaborating to prepare the literacy program literacy program hit Mercedes Zamora Collazo at a meeting here in New Zealand, he said, “We want to help the headlines here last July 25. The local Cuba Friendship Society train literacy workers here to carry on. We October when member hosted the gathering. Grisel Ponce Suarez didn’t come to stay,” he said. “We have a lot of parliament Rodney and Gloria Mendez Martínez spoke along to do in other countries.” Hide of the right-wing with Zamora. Asked about the latest measures imposed Act party denounced The three Cuban teachers have been in by Washington against Cuba, which include the wananga’s col- New Zealand since April 2003. They are new restrictions on Cuban-Americans visit- laboration with the working on a program to teach reading and ing the island or sending cash remittances Cuban government. writing being developed by Te Wananga o to relatives there, Ponce said that the Cuban “I am staggered that Aotearoa (the University of New Zealand). Revolution has had to combat Washington’s people think we could The Maori-based school, established a unremitting hostility and trade sanctions for learn anything from decade ago in the town of Te Awamutu, 45 years. “Since June 30 they have worsened Cuba other than what has grown rapidly to become the country’s the measures against Cuba,” she stated. “But a failure socialism has largest tertiary educational institution. It we have confronted more diffi cult situations proved to be,” Hide provides courses by correspondence, over than the current one, and we will get over said, calling Cuba “a the Internet, and at satellite campuses this one, too.” basket case” and its throughout the country, attracting Maori During all the critical periods the Cu- literacy efforts “indoc- and Pacifi c Islander adult students in par- ban Revolution has faced, she said, “we trination.” Militant/Mike Tucker ticular. Maori, the indigenous people of have never closed one school or hospital. The attack was met Gloria Mendez Martínez, a Cuban literacy teacher working New Zealand, and people from the Pacifi c Because the government puts a priority on by a rapid response in a literacy campaign among Maori, the indigenous popula- islands, are oppressed nationalities in New study and education, the Cuban people are from supporters of the tion in New Zealand, at July 25 meeting in Auckland. Zealand and comprise a major part of the a very educated people.” Cuban Revolution, de- working class. “I lived part of my life under Batista,” fenders of Maori rights, and participants in denigration of Cuba’s socialist course, he Currently there are 10 Cuban literacy added Zamora, referring to the U.S.-backed the wananga course. Prominently reported said, “This has been the only system that has teachers working on developing the Green- dictator who ruled Cuba prior to the 1959 was a reply by Cuba’s ambassador to New been able to guarantee free education, free light Learning For Life program at the wa- revolution. “Then we had private schools Zealand, Miguel Angel Ramírez, who is health care, and social justice for the whole nanga. Eight of the teachers participated in and discrimination. Now we have equal based in Indonesia. Responding to Hide’s population and not for an exclusive elite.” the July 25 meeting, which was attended by around 50 people. While offi cial statistics purport that 99 percent of the population of New Zealand WTO rules for Brazil on EU sugar subsidies is literate, Marcia Krawll, the coordinator BY MICHAEL ITALIE use sugar, such as soft drink companies, subsidies, half of the annual EU sugar of the Greenlight program, told the meeting A World Trade Organization panel ruled pay three times more than their competi- export subsidy. that “the statistics are not reality.” August 4 that $2 billion in sugar subsidies tors on the world market, according to the The EU agricultural policies also in- A survey by the Organization of Econom- by European Union governments gave Bloomberg News agency. Any “surplus” clude price supports for a number of Afri- ic Cooperation and Development (OECD) agricultural interests in those countries an sugar must be exported at lower prices. can, Caribbean, and Pacifi c Island (ACP) found that 45 percent of New Zealand adults unfair advantage in world export markets. The EU budget provides subsidies to these countries as part of the efforts of the Euro- have literacy levels below what is “required The case had been brought against the exporters, allowing them to sell cheap and pean imperialist powers to reinforce their to meet the demands of everyday life.” Func- European Union trade bloc a year ago by maintain a steady stream of profi ts. markets there. While they lay out massive tional illiteracy is disproportionately higher the governments of Brazil, Australia, and Six European sugar companies, which sums to the agricultural giants in Europe, among Maori and Pacifi c Islanders. Thailand. Details of the ruling have not include Suedzucker of Germany, Tate EU offi cials hypocritically opposed the Already demand for the literacy program been made public, and the EU is expected & Lyle in the United Kingdom, and WTO ruling with claims that the Brazil- was greater than could be met, Krawll said, to appeal in September. France’s Beghin-Say, received a total of ian government’s goal is to “steal” market with 5,000 people participating in the pilot The decision came at a time when nearly $900 million last year in export share from the ACP nations. course. imperialist powers and governments of The courses being developed by the Cu- semicolonial nations have been involved ban instructors aim to teach adults “how to in several trade confl icts over agricultural read and write, and learn and think, in the export markets. In Geneva a week earlier, Union certified at Quebec Wal-Mart least possible time,” Zamora said. in an effort to get the governments of Third BY BETTY BURKE against and 44 in favor. This was the second “You can’t just translate literacy courses World countries to come to the table and loss for the union at that store. developed in Cuba,” Ponce added, explain- resume the WTO trade negotiations known MONTREAL—In a breakthrough in the The UFCW won certifi cation at a Wal- ing why the Cubans had come to New as the Doha round, U.S. and EU represen- ongoing fi ght to unionize Wal-Mart stores Mart in Windsor, Ontario, in 1997 but the Zealand to develop the program. “Each tatives promised concessions on some of in North America, workers at one of the union was decertifi ed before the ratifi cation country and each language has its own the many subsidies they pay out to farmers retail giant’s stores in Quebec won union of a fi rst contract. characteristics,” she noted. Even in Span- in their countries, the main benefi ciaries certifi cation August 2. In May 2003 the British Columbia ish-speaking countries, like Venezuela and of which are capitalist farmers. The so- More than 50 percent of the 170 workers Labour Relations Board found Wal-Mart Mexico, where Cuban teachers are aiding lo- called Doha negotiations began in Doha, at the Wal-Mart store in Jonquière, Quebec, guilty of unfair labor practices at its store cal literacy campaigns, “You still have to put Qatar, in November 2001 and broke down signed to be represented by the United Food in Quesnel, British Columbia. The UFCW it into context,” she said, because some of in September 2003 when ministers from and Commercial Workers (UFCW). The had fi led the complaint against the com- the vocabulary is different. About 1 million semicolonial nations walked out of a trade Quebec Labour Relations Board, which pany because of its “blatant attempts to people in Venezuela have already completed conference in Cancún, Mexico. certifi ed the union, has scheduled a hear- interfere with employees’ right to join a the literacy program, Ponce said. “This ruling, just like the cotton decision, ing for August 20 to decide on the makeup union.” However, she added, “This is the fi rst time confi rms that there are immense distor- of the bargaining unit. The drive to bring the union into Wal- we have done this in a developed country tions in international agricultural markets,” Wal-Mart, with 1.3 million employees Mart stores in Canada complements a like New Zealand.” Clodoaldo Hugueney, a Brazilian foreign worldwide and $265 billion in sales, has similar effort by the UFCW in the United Jesús, one of seven additional Cuban ministry offi cial, told the New York Times. fought to keep its workers from unionizing States. Low wages, benefi ts, and abusive teachers who arrived at the Te Awamutu “It also confi rms that serious negotiations since it was founded in 1962. treatment on the job are some of the key need to take place to do away with farm The Quebec Federation of Labour (FTQ) issues pushing workers to organize. In subsidies, both for exports and domestic held a press conference the next day to cele- February 2000, when meat cutters at a consumption.” brate the victory and voice support for other Wal-Mart store in Jacksonville, Texas, To Speak the Truth In June the WTO ruled in a complaint campaigns that are underway to organize voted to be represented by the UFCW, the Why Washington’s ‘Cold War’ brought by the Brazilian government that Wal-Mart workers in Quebec and the rest company refused to recognize the union, against Cuba Doesn’t End $12.5 billion in U.S. cotton subsidies also of Canada. FTQ secretary-general René and instead moved to distribute packaged violated trade regulations. Washington has Roy “saluted the courage of the Jonquière meats and changed the job functions of the By Fidel Castro and Che Guevara indicated it will appeal the decision. The workers who had to organize two times be- meat cutters. In historic speeches before the Unit- WTO has not released the details of either fore winning this big union victory.” A fi rst In October 2003 more than 250 workers ed Nations and UN bodies, Guevara ruling. attempt to organize the store was lost when and Castro faced deportation after they were arrested by With the largest economy in Latin the union fell just four percentage points address the immigration cops in coordinated pre-dawn America, Brazil has been among the most short of the votes needed to win. Roy also workers of raids at 60 Wal-Mart stores in 21 U.S. states. energetic in pressing the demands of its said he hoped that the QLRB would act rap- the world, The raids were aimed at further intimidat- export industries. Over the last decade Bra- idly to certify the UFCW at the Wal-Mart in explaining ing workers in the midst of these ongoing zil has become the largest sugar producer Brossard on Montreal’s south shore, where why the U.S. union-organizing efforts. in the world. Its sugar exports rose from UFCW Local 501 applied for certifi cation government Wal-Mart hailed a July 27 ruling by a Sas- 5.8 million tons in 1996 to 13.4 million in on July 22. so hates the katchewan court that quashed a subpoena by 2002. The EU runs a distant second, export- There are three other UFCW applications example set the province’s labor board that would have ing about 5 million tons per year. pending at Wal-Mart stores in Canada, two by the social- forced the company to turn over a num- The 25-member European Union, an in Saskatchewan and one in British Co- ist revolution ber of internal documents, including one in Cuba. imperialist trade bloc, sets quotas for lumbia. titled: “Wal-Mart: A Manager’s Toolbox $16.95 sugar production for its domestic market On August 6, workers at the Wal-Mart to Remaining Union Free.” The UFCW is in order to limit supply and maintain high store in Thompson, Manitoba, lost a vote to be represented by UFCW Local 832 with 67 challenging the decision. WWW.PATHFINDERPRESS.COM prices. Companies in those countries that

12 The Militant September 7, 2004