Batalla de Portland 12

Workers and oppressed peoples of the world unite! workers.org Vol. 62, No. 31 July 30, 2020 $1 Portland RESISTANCE BROADENS By Joshua Hanks down and have occupied the area ever Portland, Ore. since. Federal and city police have not attempted to enforce the parks’ closure Thousands of anti-racist, anti-fascist or wrest control from the massive crowds. protesters continue to come out night after Tents have been set up where free food night into the streets of Portland, Ore., to is distributed. One called Riot Ribs gives protest against police brutality, racism and away barbecue and other hot foods to pro- the iron-fisted federal occupation of the testers. Donated medical supplies, water, city. After two months of continuous pro- clothing and other gear are distributed tests in the wake of the murder of George freely to anyone who needs it. Like CHOP, Floyd, the protests swelled yet again after the area feels almost like a summer the Trump administration sent federal offi- party with disc jockeys, drummers and cers to crush the movement. dancing in the streets—​broken up period- The escalation of repression has only ically by tear gas canisters tossed into the invigorated the protesters, with thou- crowds. Teams of protesters armed with sands gathering nightly in the epicenter of leaf blowers and hockey sticks quickly clear the protests near two government build- the tear gas from the area and the dancing ings in the core of downtown Portland. starts back up. Soap bubbles float through Large protests have occurred in North the air, creating a surreal effect. Portland as well, outside the office of the Large groups of local moms, dads, union police “union.” workers, veterans and nurses, many wear- Two downtown parks, encompassing ing matching colors (the moms wear yel- the blocks directly west of the Mark O. low, for example), are now a regular fixture Thousands flood streets in Portland, Ore., for WW PHOTO: JOSHUA HANKS Hatfield Federal Courthouse, where fed- at the protests, their arrival greeted with and against federal occupation. eral officers mount their attacks, and the thunderous applause and cheers. Some Multnomah County Justice Center, which groups march for miles across the city’s Indigenous and people of color leading courthouse. On July 26, that fence was houses the Portland Police Bureau (PPB) heavily populated east side and over the most of the chants and giving most of the partially torn down. headquarters and the Multnomah County Willamette River into downtown. speeches. Trump has offered more federal offi- Jail, are being occupied. Protesters While corporate media and the gov- Trump has stated that the situation cers to Portland and to other larger cit- have built an area resembling Seattle’s ernment paint the protesters as only vio- in Portland is now under control. Yet ies such as Seattle and . A large Capitol Hill Organized Protest (CHOP). lent—​“anarchists” and “terrorists”—​the the protests are larger and more orga- plane with the Department of Homeland Authorities declared the two parks reality on the ground is completely differ- nized than ever, with federal officers Security logo was spotted at Seattle’s off-limits and fenced them off, but on the ent. A broad section of Portland’s popu- usually hiding behind a hastily welded SeaTac Airport recently, carrying night of July 17 protesters tore the fences lation makes up the crowds, with Black, fence encircling the perimeter of the Continued on page 6 Fighting fascism, white supremacy, capitalism NBA players defend Woj 2 USPS under attack 3 some singular geographical area. We respond as if it's an attack on our Billionaires push school reopening 3 class on a worldwide level. This is regard- ing the danger of fascism. We are going Capitalism and technology 5 to be talking about this a lot in the com- ing months through the election season Mumia: ‘A rogue nation?’ 5 and perhaps beyond. It's the tendency of sections of the bourgeois ruling class Library workers vs. racism 6 who disagree with Trump to think that the threat of fascism is tied to a particular Seattle solidarity with Portland 6 By Larry Holmes leader who is dangerous, who is erratic, who is a white supremacist—​and the This is a slightly edited talk given by solution is getting rid of that leader and No union busting 6 Workers World Party First Secretary then you get rid of the problem. Larry Holmes at the July 23 WWP I think that large sections of the pro- BLM impacts sports culture 7 webinar. gressive and anti-fascist movement also I hope those of you who can will par- think along those lines. It's not their fault. ‘Police-free schools!’ 7 ticipate in the several days of actions, It has to do with political education, and starting tomorrow, July 24, in solidar- perhaps a lack of historical perspective on COVID and RIMPAC 8 ity with the people of Portland against the question of fascism. They approach it the police state. It's very important that from a moral point of view. Just get rid Stop ‘Operation Legend’ 11 when an area, be it Seattle, Portland or of the terrible leader, and we'll be able to New York, is under attack, those of us defend democracy—as​ if there ever really who can should come out in the streets was democracy for the working class, and Editorials and show this is more than an attack on Continued on page 10 Impasse over CARES-2 10 MOVE anniversary Aug. 8 Best antitoxin? Solidarity! 10 Soledad prison guards riot Prisoners in struggle! 4 Palestine 8 China 8-9 Page 2 July 30, 2020 workers.org NBA players support reporter vs. right-wing senator By Monica Moorehead this week The intersection between sports culture and politics can happen at any given time. And at this particular junc- ture, the Black Lives Matter struggle is leaving its imprint ◆ In the U.S. on many issues, even international ones. Portland resistance broadens ...... 1 For instance, on July 10 the ultra-right-wing Sen. Josh Fighting fascism, white supremacy, capitalism . . 1 Hawley, R.-Mo., released a press release on Twitter attack- ing the National Association — whose players NBA players support reporter vs. senator . . . . .2 are 80% African American — for “Kowtowing to China New USPS rules threaten postal jobs and services .3 and refusing to support U.S. military and law enforce- Billionaires push to reopen schools ...... 3 ment.” His statement was sent to NBA Commissioner Behind the walls ...... 4 Adam Silver. Hawley was countering the many NBA players who Aug. 8, All out for MOVE and Delbert Africa . . . 4 are active and vocal supporters of the Black Lives Matter Soledad prison guards riot ...... 4 movement, especially in the aftermath of the legal lynch- State’s use of technology: An issue for movement . 5 ing of , but who are also raising police kill- Mumia Abu-Jamal: ‘A rogue nation?’ ...... 5 ings of Breonna Taylor and others. Players have voted to suspension. wear jerseys that reflect their activism with this dynamic This is not the first time ESPN has suspended its com- Black library workers force director’s resignation .6 movement for social change when the NBA season mentators for speaking out on progressive issues. Former Seattle protest in solidarity with Portland . . . . .6 resumes the end of July. ESPN reporter Jemele Hill, a Black woman, was sus- Athletes continue to build broad support for BLM . 7 Hawley saw the opportunity to push forward his pended for two weeks in October 2017 for suggesting that Unions call for ‘Strike for Black Lives’ ...... 7 Trump-like, racist attitude toward BLM with an anti-com- Dallas Cowboys players ask corporate sponsors to boy- munist agenda: demanding that the players wear “Free cott the team after its billionaire owner and Trump sup- Students demand: ‘Police-free schools!’ . . . . . 7 Hong Kong” jerseys and other slogans with a pro-cop and porter Jerry Jones threatened to severely penalize players ‘Operation Legend:’ growing fascistic threat? . . . 11 pro-military message. for kneeling during the national anthem to protest police Adrian Wojnarowski, a senior writer for ESPN — argu- brutality. ◆ Around the world ably the most well-respected commentator when it comes Other players who retweeted #FreeWoj include Patrick Days of Resistance for Palestine, Aug. 7-9 . . . . 8 to NBA developments — wrote what he thought was a pri- Beverley, Lou Williams, Isaiah Thomas, Jamal Murray, Fight COVID, not China! ...... 8 vate two-word response on his Twitter feed to Hawley’s Enes Kanter, Spencer Dinwiddie and others. Showing reactionary press release: “F--k you.” Of course, this solidarity with Woj in essence meant rejecting Hawley’s COVID-19, China and the U.S...... 9 response from “Woj” (as he is affectionately called) went demands to defend the pro-Western Hong Kong protests 100,000 workers say ‘Pivot to Peace with China’ . 9 viral. The ESPN owners — not known for being politically and, at the same time, support the Black Lives Matter progressive — suspended Woj for two weeks without pay movement. Many of these same players, especially ◆ Editorial for violating their policy by sending a “profane” rebuttal. LeBron James, have tens of millions of fans in China, a Impasse over CARES 2 ...... 10 The suspension ends July 24. major global market for the NBA. Solidarity, the best antitoxin ...... 10 Whatever varying views they may have toward the #FreeWoj Chinese government, these players do not want to risk ◆ Noticias en Español Woj sent an apology for his response, but in the mean- saying anything publicly that could be misinterpreted as time, NBA players came to his defense. A group of NBA interference in China’s internal affairs — which U.S. impe- El movimiento de Portland contraataca . . . . . 12 players, led by Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James, rialism has repeatedly engaged in since 1949 and is ratch- set up a Twitter hashtag #FreeWoj to protest the ESPN eting up now with military threats. ☐ Workers World 147 W. 24th St., 2nd Fl. New York, NY 10011 Join us in the fight Phone: 212.627.2994 E-mail: [email protected] for socialism! Web: www.workers.org Vol. 62, No. 31 • July 30, 2020 Workers World Party is a revolutionary Marxist-Leninist and trans people are gunned down by cops and bigots on Closing date: July 29, 2020 party inside the belly of the imperialist beast. We are a mul- a regular basis. Editor: Deirdre Griswold tinational, multigenerational and multigendered organiza- The ruthless ruling class today seeks to wipe out tion that not only aims to abolish capitalism, but to build a decades of gains and benefits won by hard-fought strug- Managing Editors: John Catalinotto, Martha Grevatt, socialist society because it’s the only way forward! gles by people’s movements. The super-rich and their Monica Moorehead, Betsey Piette, Minnie Bruce Pratt Capitalism and imperialism threaten the peoples of the political representatives have intensified their attacks on Web Editors: ABear, Harvey Markowitz, Janet Mayes world and the planet itself in the neverending quest for the multinational, multigender and multigenerational Prisoners Page Editors: Mirinda Crissman, Ted Kelly ever-greater profits. working class. It is time to point the blame at—​and chal- Capitalism means war and austerity, racism and lenge—the​ capitalist system. Production & Design Editors: Gery Armsby, Mirinda repression, attacks on im/migrants, misogyny, LGBTQ2+ WWP fights for socialism because the working class Crissman, Sasha Mazumder, Scott Williams oppression and mistreatment of people with disabili- produces all wealth in society, and this wealth should Copyediting and Proofreading: Paddy Colligan, ties. It means joblessness, increasing homelessness and remain in their hands, not be stolen in the form of capi- Sue Davis, S. Hedgecoke impoverishment and lack of hope for the future. No social talist profits. The wealth workers create should be socially Contributing Editors: LeiLani Dowell, G. Dunkel, problems can be solved under capitalism. owned and its distribution planned to satisfy and guaran- K. Durkin, Sara Flounders, Teresa Gutierrez, Joshua The U.S. is the richest country in the world, yet no one tee basic human needs. Hanks, Makasi Motema, Gloria Rubac has a guaranteed right to shelter, food, water, health care, Since 1959, Workers World Party has been out in the education or anything else—​unless they can pay for it. streets defending the workers and oppressed here and Mundo Obero: Teresa Gutierrez, Carlos Vargas Wages are lower than ever, and youth are saddled with worldwide. If you’re interested in Marxism, socialism Supporter Program: Coordinator Sue Davis seemingly insurmountable student debt, if they even and fighting for a socialist future, please contact a WWP Copyright © 2020 Workers World. Verbatim copying make it to college. Black, Brown and Indigenous youth branch near you. ☐ and distribution of articles is permitted in any medium without royalty provided this notice is preserved. If you are interested in joining Workers World Party contact: 212.627.2994 Workers World (ISSN-1070-4205) is published weekly except the last week of December by WW Publishers, National Office Boston Durham, N.C. Portland, Ore. 147 W. 24th St., 2nd floor 284 Amory St. 804 Old Fayetteville St. [email protected] 147 W. 24th St. 2nd Fl., New York, NY 10011. Phone: New York, NY 10011 Boston, MA 02130 Durham, NC 27701 212.627.2994. Subscriptions: One year: $36; institu- Salt Lake City 212.627.2994 617.522.6626 919.322.9 970 tions: $50. 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Box 34249 Periodicals postage paid at New York, N.Y. Oakland, CA 94609 [email protected] Philadelphia, PA 19101 POSTMASTER: Send address changes to 510.394.2207 610.931.2615 Workers World, 147 W. 24th St. 2nd Fl. [email protected] [email protected] New York, N.Y. 10011. workers.org July 30, 2020 Page 3 New USPS work rules threaten postal jobs and services By Joe Piette takes weeks or months to resolve the contentious issues caused by DeJoy’s directive, and the public gets tired of As if pandemic challenges, a deep financial crisis and undependable service and looks to competitors for postal an openly hostile president were not bad enough, over delivery. 600,000 postal workers now face new work rules which impose speedups, while delaying the delivery of first- Defend universal postal services! class mail and parcels. At the same time as they fight back within the post Louis DeJoy, newly appointed Postmaster General, office, postal workers and their unions are organizing a Trump ally and big Republican Party donor, has an support for the right of all people in all communities to anti-labor history. He issued a directive on July 10 which universal postal services. puts a torch to a centuries-old culture of the postal sys- The USPS provides universal mail delivery at the tem on the sanctity of first-class mail. It says: “Carriers lowest standardized prices in the world. Only the USPS must begin on time, leave for the street on time, and Protest against postal job threats on WW PHOTO: JOE PIETTE makes regular deliveries to remote islands and secluded return on time. One aspect of these changes that may be June 23 in Philadelphia. areas that would not be profitable for a private business. difficult for employees is that—​temporarily—​we may In rural and low-income regions where broadband isn’t see mail left behind or mail on the workroom floor or Strains on postal workers grow commonly available, the postal service provides a much- docks, which is not typical.” (tinyurl.com/y63uh9b4) APWU President Mark Dimondstein assailed the new needed lifeline of communication. For decades, postal management threatened workers measures, saying they hit at the very core of the agency's The USPS also plays an important role in ensuring that with suspensions and terminations for delaying the mail, mission, which is to "provide prompt, reliable, and effi- voters can cast their ballots by mail. DeJoy’s work rule a violation of service standards. On the other side of the cient service." He stated: "These additional moves by the changes could also decrease people’s confidence in the divide, union stewards filed grievances defending work- new postmaster general seem to send the opposite mes- post office’s ability to deliver their ballots accurately and ers by pointing out management policies were causing sage, which is that mail can wait. It will likely undermine on time. the delay of first-class mail. the mission we're dedicated to. … [I]t will likely lead to #SavetheUSPS Directive violates federal laws, postal rules slower, less prompt, less reliable, and really less efficient service." (Business Insider, July 14) The USPS is normally self-sufficient, financing oper- DeJoy is instructing postal management to violate In addition to delaying mail, the new work rules will ations with its own revenues without using taxpayer decades of postal regulations and federal law as everyday increase tensions on the job, as supervisors pressure money. Congress passed a law in 2006 that required policy. Federal law 18 U.S. Code Section 1703 (a) headed workers to do their deliveries and other work within the postal service to fund retiree health benefits for an “Delay or destruction of mail or newspapers,” says: “[A] eight hours. incredible 75 years into the future! That’s an onerous $5 Postal Service officer or employee [who] unlawfully As Diamondstein explains, USPS overtime cuts during billion annual financial burden not imposed on any other secretes, destroys, detains, delays, or opens any … mail the pandemic puts a strain on postal employees as well as government agency or private corporation. Combined entrusted to [them] or ... come[s] into [their] possession, customers: “When you combine a pandemic with short with the unprecedented financial effects of the pandemic, which was intended to be conveyed by mail, or carried staffing, you’re going to have some overtime, and to the USPS may run out of funds later this year. or delivered by any ... employee of the Postal Service, or arbitrarily just say it’s done means that the service that’s As a result, the Postal Board of Governors has asked forwarded through or delivered from any post office or coming with that overtime is going to be gone.” (Federal for direct emergency financial assistance, similar to the station … shall be fined … or imprisoned not more than News Network, July 16) huge amounts of aid given to large corporations in earlier five years, or both.” (tinyurl.com/y3xd8odj) Postal workers have been working 10 to 12 hours a stimulus bills approved by Congress this spring. The American Postal Workers Union National day six days a week because of the huge increase in par- The Senate is scheduled to vote on a new stimulus bill Executive Board’s statement on July 20 objected: cel deliveries, understaffing due to coronavirus-caused in August that would include a $25 billion rescue plan for “[W]ithout consultation or input from any of the postal absences, frequent turnover of part-time workers, over- the USPS. The APWU asks everyone to call their senators unions, postal customers or mailing community [DeJoy] burdened routes and management’s refusal to hire on July 23 or thereafter to save the postal service. (apwu. has launched a series of actions that will undermine the enough workers. org/savepostoffice) postal service and are an insult to every postal worker, Over 4,000 postal workers have been diagnosed with If postal workers and communities work together, we every postal craft and every postal customer. COVID-19, and 64 postal employees have died from can save the people’s post office! “These initial actions include reducing hours in retail the disease. Thousands of exposed workers have had to For more on DeJoy’s anti-labor history, read Piette’s units including Saturday closings, delaying mail, slowing self-quarantine for two weeks or more. article entitled “Racist, sexist, job-killing, union-busting down service, further removal of mail processing equip- Hundreds of grievances are bound to be filed as work- robber baron appointed to head USPS,” posted May 25 ment, arbitrarily reducing work hours and eliminating ers fight back against these unfair, counterproductive at workers.org. Piette is a retired letter carrier and overtime. With an already understaffed operation, reduc- measures. Time favors those who want to privatize the member of the National Association of Letter Carriers. ing hours and overtime can only lead to severely delayed postal service. More militant actions may be required if it mail and packages.” (tinyurl.com/y2kblvwr)

With no plan for safety Billionaires push to reopen schools By G. Dunkel political justification of the Trump-DeVos position—​ rather than recommendations for actions/policies based Schools in the U.S. provide students with much more on scientific facts. than an education. They provide child care, meals (for 14 Most of the country's teachers, pediatricians and par- million students), medical services (mostly for students ents want the kids back in school. But the schools are so with disabilities), psychological counseling, supervised underfunded that the physical changes needed to make physical activity and social connections. them safe (airflow, social distancing, cleaning) are not There are more than 135,000 educational institutions currently available or affordable. In some schools, it's a and 56.6 million students in grades K through 12. Since big deal to get any windows to open in a classroom. 2014 the majority of all public school students have Teachers didn't sign on to risk their lives so businesses been children of color. (National Center for Education can function normally. Other workers in the school sys- Statistics) tem—​bus drivers, maintenance, paraprofessionals, While all parents want their children to be able to counselors and food service workers—​have the same PHOTO: LAURA GÓMEZ/ ARIZONA MIRROR return to school, more than two-thirds polled want issues with re-opening. Teachers and parents rally July 14 at the Arizona Capitol to oppose the state’s school reopening plan. schools physically reopened only if safe. That feeling is schools didn't close in March until a grow- strongest in Black and Latinx families. ing sick-out made it difficult for the system to function. But President wants students in this pressure campaign presents a false choice between the coming semester to physically face their teachers. His Union reaction to Trump/DeVos 'plan' health of our students and the health of our economy. billionaire Education Secretary Betsy DeVos has said in Almost three-quarters of all teachers in the United It's appallingly reckless.” interview after interview: “Students have to go back to States are in unions affiliated with either the American García added: “No one wants to welcome students the classroom.” Federation of Teachers or the National Education back to classrooms more than America’s educators. We Apparently Trump believes that, unless kids are back Association. In some states, like New York, the AFT and know that nothing can replace the magic of a student’s in school, the economy is not going to recover, which he NEA are merged. curiosity when they are able to learn alongside their needs to be reelected. However, he and DeVos don't have On July 17, Randi Weingarten, president of the peers from a teacher who has dedicated her life to the a plan for how to do this. They criticized an early draft American Federation of Teachers, told the Guardian: success of other people’s children.” from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention “It’s as if Trump and DeVos want to create chaos and García went on to examine the recent loss of funding as “very tough and expensive guidelines.” Trump and want to jeopardize reopening. There’s no other reason for education. While billionaires like DeVos, Trump and DeVos demand the country’s 13,000 public school dis- why they would be this reckless, this callous, this cruel.” Jeff Bezos, owner of Amazon, have seen their wealth tricts draw up plans to keep their staff and students safe, NEA President Lily Eskelsen García wrote a column for blossom during the COVID-19 crisis, workers in educa- even with severe budget cuts. the July 7 USA Today slamming President Trump's sug- tion and elsewhere have had to confront sickness and The recently modified CDC guidelines read like a gestion that schools reopen this fall: “The White House unemployment. ☐ Page 4 July 30, 2020 workers.org Behind the walls By Mirinda Crissman Keri Blakinger and several sources, the for our official jobs, and the rest we do Briscoe Unit in South Texas saw 90 pris- for free. We will not work and we will not oners rise up and take a 21-year-old guard collaborate with GEOGroup. We refuse to Voting rights for the hostage on July 18. make it easier for you incarcerated in Florida This move was report- to continue unneces- The Supreme Court upheld a ruling of edly in response to sarily caging and mur- the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals allow- continued COVID dering us.” (tinyurl. ICE, GEOGroup and the Yuba County ing a modern-day poll tax to remain in restrictions limiting com/y28at72m) Sheriff's Department about conditions effect for formerly incarcerated people phone and out-of-cell The Mesa Verde on the inside. These brave detained lead- trying to vote in the state of Florida. This time. (tinyurl.com/ actions were coor- ers are moving forward to take what they directly contradicts nearly two-thirds of yynph752) Being able dinated in solidarity need in the only way those who cage them the Florida electorate, who voted in 2018 to talk on the phone with a hunger strike will understand: Work stoppage! to amend their state constitution to allow and move a bit more going on in the immi- those convicted of felonies to vote. (NPR, freely are the prison- gration pod at nearby No one ‘blooms’ in detention July 17) ers’ only connections Yuba County Jail. A Michigan family court judge, Mary The most recent ruling specifically says to others outside their Folks locked up at both Ellen Brennan, denied the release of a that this group of formerly incarcerated cramped cages. facilities released uni- 15-year-old from detention in the mid- folks cannot vote if they have any fees or Dozens of massive fied sets of demands. dle of a deadly pandemic. The Black child fines owed to the state. “This court’s order prison rebellions that The first set targeted was caged simply because she did not PHOTO: SURVIVED AND PUNISHED prevents thousands of otherwise eligible took place across Italy Gov. Gavin Newsom turn in her online schoolwork, which the Solidarity with Mesa Verde! voters from participating in Florida’s pri- at the beginning of Undocumented organizers and and Attorney General court considered a violation of her proba- mary election simply because they are this pandemic were immigration attorneys of the Xavier Becerra: tion. The judge said at the July 13 hear- poor,” explained Justice Sonia Sotomayor in response to lack of California Liberation Collective “1. Stop transfer- ing: “I think you are exactly where you in her dissent. (LA Times, July 16) This visitation. (Workers chained themselves to the gate at ring people who are supposed to be. You are blooming is the fourth case this election year alone World, April 3) Gov. Gavin Newsom's mansion on are released from there, but there is more work to be done.” where SCOTUS has declined to protect The Mesa Verde July 27 with a call to free them all. California custody (ProPublica, July 20) voting rights. The U.S. has not ever been Detention Center in into [Immigration Nothing exemplifies the callousness of committed to holding free and fair elec- California announced a work stoppage and Customs Enforcement] detention the courts and brutality of policing and tions anywhere in the world, much less on July 23. As reported by Workers centers. 2. Halt the expansion of immi- prisons more than this decision to pun- for folks deemed “criminal.” World, the coordinated hunger strike gration detention facilities in the state. ish a Black child with the full weight of was in response to the murder of George 3. Immediately inspect all ICE facilities the state for not completing homework. Sites of resistance Floyd. Those behind bars at Mesa Verde in the state to oversee the standards of While the young girl has shown exem- In the face of inhumane conditions, explained, “Mesa Verde runs off of our care in these facilities and independently plary behavior inside, that is no reason to heightened by the COVID crisis, many labor. We are the ones who prepare and investigate the deaths that have occurred continue to detain her during a pandemic. locked-up people are fighting back serve the food, who clean the bathrooms there during the pandemic.” No one “blooms” in detention. Tear down against injustice. According to journalist and the dorms. We are paid $5 per week The second set of demands addressed the walls! ☐ Racist guards attack Soledad prisoners By Judy Greenspan Talib Williams, who has written several extensive arti- including works of Jackson Oakland, Calif. cles about this racist cell extraction for a national Black and other Black revolution- newspaper, the San Francisco Bay View. (tinyurl.com/ aries and a list he compiled In a 3 a.m. raid July 20, approximately 200 Black y47mhuo8) He told his spouse Tasha Williams that of Jackson quotes. prisoners at California’s Soledad state prison were vio- prison guards were shouting, “Black Lives Don’t Matter” lently taken from their cells with nothing on but their and calling the prisoners the N-word. An elderly pris- George Jackson’s legacy boxer shorts. oner was tossed down a flight of stairs. On Jan. 13, 1970, a group The men were herded into the chow hall, handcuffed Talib Williams, in prison for 18 years (since he was of Black and white Soledad with zip ties and forced to sit shoulder-to-shoulder with- 17 years old), has spent the last six years at Soledad and prisoners were released to out masks for hours, while their cells were ransacked. has published four books. His most recent was on the the exercise yard, which pro- Their property, including books, letters and legal papers, racist and violent history of Soledad prison toward Black voked a fist fight. A white George Jackson 1971. was confiscated or destroyed. prisoner organizers like George Jackson. According to guard marksman shot and Guards brutalized and beat many prisoners, including Tasha Williams, the guards seized much of his library, killed three Black prisoners. Black prisoners started a hun- ger strike in protest; a grand jury exonerated the guard. One week later, a white prison guard was killed and three prisoner leaders—George​ Jackson, Fleeta Drumgo Aug. 8, All out for MOVE protest and tribute to Delbert Africa and John Wesley John Wesley Cluchette—were​ charged with murder and became known as the Soledad Brothers. By Betsey Piette 1978 police attack. MOVE plans to and sentenced from 30 to 100 A broad defense committee came forward, and Jackson Philadelphia also pay tribute to MOVE 9 mem- years each in connection with the published his famous work, “Soledad Brother: The ber Delbert Africa, who died June death of a police officer who had Prison Letters of George Jackson.” The MOVE organization has 1 just months after his release from very likely been killed by friendly The California prison system and especially Soledad called a protest against police ter- prison after over 41 years. fire. Although police admitted to prison—​notorious for violence against Black prison- ror on Saturday, Aug. 8, the 42nd Early on the morning of Aug. 8, shooting at MOVE, and they even ers—hate​ George Jackson, his writings and his legacy. anniversary of the state’s attack on 1978, hundreds of heavily armed testified to having fired into corners Tasha Williams, who heard firsthand accounts of the group’s Powelton Village home Philadelphia police and firefight- where they heard babies crying, the violent attack from several Soledad prisoners, said in West Philadelphia. ers invaded the surrounding com- MOVE was blamed for the entire prison officials claimed they were investigating gang The event will start with a rally munity and laid siege to MOVE’s confrontation. activity. Talib noted that he saw a piece of paper about at the Art Museum, 2600 Benjamin home, forcing members to seek When asked by Mumia Abu- his father being in the Black Panther Party. Franklin Parkway, followed by a shelter in the basement. Police Jamal on a local talk show, the Most of the Black prisoners have no prior gang affil- march to the site of the historic fired tear gas, smoke bombs and trial judge admitted that he had iation. That is often used as an excuse to attack incar- hundreds of rounds of ammuni- absolutely no idea who had killed cerated people who speak out, advocate for others and tion into the house. Firefighters the officer. Two MOVE mem- fight the system. Several of the prisoners reported being used high-pressure water hoses to bers—​Merle and Phil Africa—​ questioned about the Black Lives Matter movement and destroy the wooden foundation and died in prison. After 40 plus years being asked if they were BLM members. flood the basement. of unjust imprisonment, the sur- Tasha Williams believes the violent cell extraction was The assault forced MOVE to viving MOVE 9 members were carried out to intimidate Black prisoners. In an inter- view with this reporter, she said, “Officials were trying evacuate their home. Outside, wait- finally released from prison due to to incite them into a riot. This was a targeted hit job. The ing police snatched children from immense pressure from supporters men were blindsided. They weren’t organizing anything. their mothers’ arms. Cops brutally around the world. There was nothing going on. They told my husband if assaulted MOVE members, in par- “Eliminating police terror is a he sagged his pants under his ass and had less books in ticular Delbert Africa, whom they single step in the million-mile jour- his cell, he wouldn’t be bothered. My husband and the beat unconscious in plain sight of ney to freedom,” said Mike Africa others are not going to play that game.” the media. Jr., son of MOVE 9 members Mike Williams is asking people to spread the word and PHOTO: NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS Nine MOVE members were and Debbie Africa. “Let’s get on the mobilize support for the people inside. (San Francisco Delbert Africa, freed after 41 years. arrested, framed, charged, tried MOVE!” Bay View, July 20 and 22) ☐ workers.org July 30, 2020 Page 5 The state’s use of technology: An issue for the movement By Ben Carroll Along with the militarization of police our class however and wherever we can. departments has been their increasing Naturally, we use many of these tools Data are everywhere. In 2020, technol- reliance on and use of high-tech tools in our day-to-day work—​setting up ogy is a ubiquitous part of everyday life for for and repression. They Facebook events, sending mass emails many workers in this country and around are employed in large part against work- and communicating via text messages the world. We use social media and email ing-class and communities of color, and phone calls. During the pandemic, to keep in touch with family and friends. as well as the political movement. The we have regularly used Zoom to conduct We watch livestreams of events and activ- federal forces now being mobilized by webinars to put forward our perspective ities that take place across the globe. We Trump to put down the righteous rebel- on the pressing political questions of the text and stream music on our commutes lion against white supremacy across the day. to work. The list goes on. U.S. have a battery of these tools at their While we must continue to do this In the midst of the ongoing COVID- disposal. work, it’s worth taking a critical look at 19 crisis, technology has played an even Major tech corporations are not only how our movements use technology and greater role in our everyday lives as a making software and other products that then assess dangers presented to our Growing surveillance like this challenges means to maintain social contact in an are used by police agencies, but they are work and our class by the development of the political movement. era of social distancing. actively cooperating with many state technology and the use of regular massive The incredible development of tech- agencies to develop sophisticated tools for data collections by these corporations, ability to track and target the movement nology in even the last 20 to 30 years their use. The list of such collaborations is particularly now. Consideration should of nearly anyone. This is on top of CBP has ushered in a number of changes to extensive. They include Amazon’s shar- be given to what is needed to protect our- and other police agencies' regular and global capitalism, largely to the advan- ing video and images captured by their selves in the short term and move toward well-documented purchases of cell phone tage of capital. (Read “High Tech, Low Ring doorbell devices, Microsoft’s devel- a longer-term strategy to break our reli- location data, which the Wall Street Pay” at workers.org/books. In the book, opment of databases for use by police ance on these corporate tools altogether. Journal reports has been used by ICE to published in 1986, Workers World Party departments in major cities, and the terrorize and detain migrant workers. Chairperson Sam Marcy showed how development of racist facial recognition Assessing the risks of using social media According to research conducted in these developments affected workers and software and “predictive algorithms,” to Examples of egregious collection of 2016, the Big Five tech corporations com- globalized the economy.) name a few. data by police agencies and the active use plied with roughly 70% to 80% of requests Technology has increased capital’s abil- At the same time, workers at these of and collaboration by law enforcement from law enforcement agencies to share ity to put workers into direct competition giant tech corporations have engaged in with these giant tech corporations for user data with them. Additionally, Google with one another for jobs—​and drive a new wave of organizing in recent years, the purposes of repressing our class are reports that in 2019, it received over their wages downward and worsen their not only around their own working con- numerous. 52,000 requests for user data affecting working conditions, irrespective of the ditions. They have increasingly opposed In one instance, FBI agents arrived at over 140,000 accounts, and the company country in which they reside. It has given the role their corporate employers play the home of Lore Elisabeth Blumenthal complied with 82.5% of these requests. rise to higher levels of automation and led in society—​from providing technology in the Germantown neighborhood of (tinyurl.com/yy5z4qk6) In some cases, to many other developments. for the Pentagon to collaborating with Philadelphia on the morning of June 16 these “requests” were accompanied by a On the other hand, technology has Immigration and Customs Enforcement with a warrant for her arrest. Blumenthal National Security Letter, essentially an given the working class the ability to com- and the police, contributing to climate is being held without bail by the federal indefinite gag order that prevents the municate and organize itself on a global change and enabling workplace sexual government on charges that she allegedly recipient from even saying they received basis; that was not possible even a short harassment and violence faced by women participated in burning two police cars such a letter. time ago. Driving down wages and work- and gender-nonconforming workers. during protests on May 30 in response These examples are in addition to reg- ing conditions lays the objective basis for Notably, many Google workers have to the heinous police murder of George ular and ongoing surveillance, terror the further politicization of the multina- objected to the company’s collaboration Floyd. She faces up to 80 years in prison. and repression faced every day by work- tional working class. with ICE and the U.S. Border Patrol. Also, In identifying Blumenthal, federal agents ing-class communities, particularly those the company’s rewarding sexual abusers used photos and publicly available infor- composed of Black and migrant workers. Profits, power surge for ‘Big Five’ with multimillion-dollar severance pack- mation from such popular social media They are subjected to regular interrup- These technological developments ages led to a global walkout by employees. sites as Etsy, LinkedIn and Poshmark. tions conducted by state agencies and have been tremendously profitable for Executives retaliated against some orga- This is only one of many examples of right-wing forces which use social media, the capitalist class. The Big Five tech nizers of the protests. police forces increasingly using social cell phone location data, facial recogni- giants—​Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, media and other technological tools to tion software and other high-tech tools Alphabet (Google) and Facebook, as they Harnessing technology surveil and repress the current Black for repression. are collectively known—have​ had a 184% to aid the struggle Lives Matter uprising, in addition to the increase in market value in the last three As organizers, activists and revolu- outright mobilization of federal agents to What can organizers do? years. (tinyurl.com/y2vudh2h) This has tionaries, we make every attempt to har- attack and repress righteous demonstra- So what should we do about the threats occurred while the value of the rest of the ness these tremendous developments to tions, such as those in Portland, Ore. we face every day, not only in our political stock market during the same period has strengthen our ability to communicate U.S. Customs and Border Protection work, but also when members of our class more or less stayed the same. In turn, with one another, to reach our class, to has been purchasing access to automated leave their homes or connect on the inter- these five corporations wield an incredi- propagandize against the system—​and license plate reader databases since 2017. net? Are these challenges so vast that we ble amount of political power and influ- ultimately to aid in the development of The agency stores images collected from should simply acquiesce to the fact that ence, which are woven into many facets struggle-oriented organizing. public and private license plate readers our information is being regularly col- of our lives in more ways than we may Our first instinct should always be to on roadways across the U.S. This infor- lected and troved by big tech and police realize. figure out how to politicize and organize mation gives CBP the unprecedented Continued on page 11 Mumia Abu-Jamal commentary: A rogue nation?

By Mumia Abu-Jamal Europeans must also regard Americans as foolish and undisciplined for failure to abide by simple health rules This slightly edited commentary from July 8 by which threaten to surge [the virus] throughout European political prisoner Mumia Abu-Jamal is available at society. prisonradio.org/media/audio/mumia. In the U.S., meanwhile, Southern and Southwestern states regarded masking as an assault on “American Several days ago, the European Union announced that rights” and an affront to freedom. Americans were not welcome to visit any of the 28 mem- What is most unnerving, however, is the elevation of ber countries of the EU. politics over science, for the U.S. proves that he who sub- Why? Because of the explosive expansion of the coro- stitutes a politician’s decision for that of a doctor has a navirus among U.S. states, which surpasses that in many fool for a patient. foreign nations. For politicians serve their egos or their donors, and At last count, over 3 million people in the U.S. are others suffer the consequences. infected, resulting in at least some 130, 000 deaths. The U.S. has emerged as a nation out of control, either Americans, long regarded as disputatious, quarrelsome unwilling or unable to follow simple medical directions and argumentative, are now regarded as a threat to the designed to mitigate a pandemic. public health of European states. The U.S. now joins Here, state governments seem ineffective; the national Brazil as a nation banned from European soil. government seems simply incompetent. ☐ Mumia Abu-Jamal Page 6 July 30, 2020 workers.org Black library workers force director’s resignation By Marie Kelly Reardon and Dembe failed to respond Humanities grant she received in 2017 Philadelphia to repeated calls to address racial bias to host programming around the killing within the library, including pay inequal- of Black men by police, she was told the The Free Library of Philadelphia is ity and poor representation of people of title she proposed, “Black and Blue,” was the latest city institution to succumb to color in leadership positions and on the controversial, since it portrayed police the power of workers organized against library board. in a negative light. Her new title selec- oppression and unfair labor practices. Dembe made a particularly offensive tion, “The Legacy of Race and Policing,” On June 25, library workers formed the remark that people of color who were rich also met with resistance, including a Concerned Black Workers of the Free enough to be board members were hard proposal that she invite “divergent opin- Library. By July 23, their public revela- to find. Dembe has a history of racial bias. ions—which​ could include hate groups.” tions about a long-time culture of dis- Prior to joining the library board, (libraryjournal.com) crimination forced the resignation of Dembe served as the presiding judge of In 2019 the Free Library had just over Director Siobhan Reardon. the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas. 800 employees. Some 391 were Black and In an open letter to management, Black In 2001 she refused a motion by political earned an average of $7,533 less than the workers described a work environment prisoner Mumia Abu-Jamal for an evi- library system’s median salary, while that failed to address their safety and dentiary hearing on new evidence of overt white workers averaged $12,012 above welfare during both the COVID-19 pan- racial bias in his case. the median. Payroll data show Black demic and the days of police violence that Dembe deemed it irrelevant that a workers are disproportionately repre- followed the . As court stenographer overheard Judge sented in lower-paying subordinate or libraries reopened during the pandemic, Albert Sabo tell a prosecutor, “Yes, I’m maintenance roles. workers reported expired hand sanitizer, going to help them fry the n----r.” In 2012, In June 2019, library employees dis- personal protective equipment of poor Dembe imposed a life sentence without rupted an all-staff meeting to address the WW PHOTO: JOE PIETTE quality and insufficient supplies overall. parole on Abu-Jamal, without even noti- racial biases and the need for a function- Black Lives Matter protesters in Library management showed an insin- fying him—​a violation of constitutional ing Diversity and Inclusion Committee. A Philadelphia June 2. cere commitment to the Black Lives Matter and Pennsylvania statutory law. survey sent to employees revealed that 86 movement when they allowed the National percent of respondents had witnessed or his Philadelphia library event in solidar- Guard to house troops in the Northwest Rampant racial discrimination experienced racial bias, along with reports ity with the workers. Other speakers fol- Philadelphia library branch, located in the Black workers at the Free Library of homophobia, Islamophobia, transpho- lowed Whitehead’s lead. Whitehead said predominantly Black community. But the have been making their demands known bia, xenophobia and anti-Semitism. his backing out of the speaking engage- library employees’ petition against this for some time, but the response from These revelations by the Concerned ment was a “no-brainer when so much practice got no results. The troops had been Reardon and the library board has been Black Workers of the Free Library caught of the Black staff is in revolt about how deployed to the city to terrorize peaceful slow, at best. The workers describe an the attention of several well-known speak- they’ve been treated.” protesters who were calling for an end to environment where racial discrimination ers scheduled to be part of the library’s On July 17, more than 240 non-Black state violence against Black people. is rampant and grievances are not taken on-line summer events. On July 2, library staff signed a letter to Reardon, Now these workers are calling for the seriously by management. Colson Whitehead, a Pulitzer prize-win- the Board of Trustees and the Board of removal of library Board of Trustees’ When one Black staff member planned ning author of “The Underground Directors supporting the demands of their chair Pamela Dembe. Both Director to use a National Endowment for the Railroad” and “Nickel Boys,” cancelled Black co-workers. ☐ Seattle protest in solidarity with Portland by Jim McMahan in June for about 20 days after anti-racist resistance to his Democratic Party counterparts in the political estab- Seattle the cops led to the community takeover of six surrounding lishment of Seattle and Portland are part of the same city blocks. The site was named the Capital Hill Organized repressive state apparatus. ☐ On July 25, 2,000 youthful anti-racists marched here Protest and occupied by thousands of people, until police in solidarity with Portland resistance. As in Portland, repression forcibly dismantled CHOP. Ore., federal repressive forces have been sent to Seattle. The East Precinct was attacked by anti-racists during The march was called by the Youth Liberation Front. a June 25 demonstration and suffered serious damage. Chanting “Black Lives Matter,” the demonstrators The cops then attacked the protesters, since in their role headed to the site of a new youth jail. Located in Seattle’s property is more valuable than working-class human historic Black community, the youth jail is going through beings. They used blast balls, sponge rounds and pepper a massive $200 billion construction rebuild. As demon- spray in a wave of brutality. Forty-five demonstrators strators chanted, “Free them all,” five construction trail- were arrested. (South Seattle Emerald) ers were set ablaze at the site. The July 25 militant mass protest showed that the Demonstrators then marched on the East Precinct, a movement is prepared to answer the racist repression Construction trailers for youth jail, located in historically base of police repression. This precinct was forced to close of Trump. The police response proved that Trump and Black neighborhood, burned by Seattle protesters, July 25.

RESISTANCE BROADENS ‘No tax dollars for union busters’ Continued from page 1 unnoticed by the thousands of people in the streets. Fired union janitors and allies pick- to win the janitors’ jobs back. unknown cargo. After giving a speech that was largely eted the downtown Cleveland office “Janitors like me were battling the The PPB’s liberal use of tear gas had drowned out by jeers and boos from the building known as “The Fives” on spread of COVID-19, which is dis- begun to taper off (though the mayor crowd, Mayor Wheeler and many others, July 24, protesting the owner’s deci- proportionately harming Black and never banned it entirely), but now federal including this writer, were teargassed sion to switch to a non-union cleaning Brown communities, all while Express officers are using massive amounts again. by federal officers. But while the mayor contractor. Over 250 supporters have Janitorial took away our livelihood,” Tear gas had gotten into the ventilation quickly left the scene and took refuge in signed a petition demanding the jan- explains Monta McLaughlin. system of the Multnomah County Jail, a municipal office building a block away, itors, members of Service Employees Protesters carried signs reading as high up as the 8th floor, with inmates the crowds regrouped and continued (SEIU) Local 1, be rehired. The union “Union janitors keep you safe” and “No trapped in their cells while the building their protest late into the night. is also pressuring both City Hall and tax dollars for union busters.” was filled with gas. As a result officials at The situation in Portland remains tense Cuyahoga County, which lease office the jail decided to close the ventilation though fluid, with conditions changing space in The Fives, to use their leverage — Story and photo by Martha Grevatt system overnight, which raises concern rapidly. But for now, the protesters seem about the spread of COVID-19. to have the upper hand, being able to Many inmates are seniors or have pre- withstand assaults from the authorities existing conditions, making them espe- and hold their ground. Donations and cially vulnerable to the deadly virus. people continue to pour in, and despite Being exposed to chemical weapons and a round-the-clock negative coverage in the lethal virus while incarcerated represents corporate media, the protests still enjoy a serious violation of human rights. widespread popularity. Portland’s mayor, Ted Wheeler, a This writer, who lives in downtown Democrat with sinking popularity, finally Portland about five blocks from the pro- showed up to the protests on July 23, tests, has spoken to many downtown res- over 50 days after they started. As police idents who are all in solidarity with the commissioner, Mayor Wheeler over- movement. They realize that their current saw the heavy-handed tactics of the PPB difficulties living downtown are the fault of in response to the protests, a fact not the police and the feds, not protesters. ☐ workers.org July 30, 2020 Page 7 Athletes continue to build broad support for BLM By Monica Moorehead national anthem—​in defense of Black very tiny minority in the MLB compared Lives Matter. to Latinx and white players. U.S. athletes continue to express their Layshia Clarendon, a solidarity with Black Lives Matter pro- guard and representative of the newly Is BLM a movement or a ‘lifestyle’? tests around the country, as professional formed WNBA Social Justice Council, LeBron James from the NBA’s Los sports attempt to resume some kind of said before the game began, “We will be a Angeles Lakers made the following state- normalcy since totally shutting down in voice for the voiceless.” (New York Times, ment on July 24: "A lot of people kind mid-March due to the COVID-19 crisis. July 25) of use this analogy, talking about Black For instance, the Women’s National Major League Baseball began its trun- Lives Matter as a movement. It's not a Basketball Association voted to dedicate cated 60-game season with all players movement. When you're Black, it's not a its entire season to women of color who from the defending MLB champions, movement. It's a lifestyle. We sit here and defeat of the slavocracy in the Civil War, have lost their lives to police violence. Washington Nationals and the New York say it's a movement, and, OK, how long is followed by Black Reconstruction to the All WNBA players will be wearing jerseys Yankees, kneeling in unity before the this movement going to last? 'Don't stop Garveyite Movement to the Civil Rights with messages of either #SayHerName playing of the national anthem before the movement.' No, this is a walk of life. and the Black Liberation Movement to or the names of women murdered by the their opening season game on July 23. When you wake up and you're Black, that BLM. No matter the form, the goals of police, most notably Breonna Taylor. The Dr. Anthony Fauci, the U.S. infectious is what it is. It shouldn't be a movement. the Black struggle have been the same—​ 26-year-old African American emergency disease specialist—​who has been vili- It should be a lifestyle. This is who we are. to win economic and political equality on medical technician was murdered by a fied by Trump during the coronavirus I don't like the word 'movement' because, the same level as whites. Louisville, Ky., police officer in March pandemic—threw​ out the honorary first unfortunately, in America and in society, The big question is: How is this during a no-knock drug search warrant. pitch at this game, usually reserved for there ain't been no damn movement for us. to be achieved? Since the demise of Taylor was fatally shot eight times. None the U.S. president. Every player on the There ain't been no movement." (ESPN) Reconstruction, over 150 years ago, these of the three white officers involved in the Cincinnati Reds and Tigers teams BLM is not only a statement of fact, but various forms of struggles have gone shooting were arrested or charged. Only also took a knee before their game. it has a organizational formation to back through victories and defeats under a cap- the officer who did the shooting was fired. The Tampa Bay Rays team officially it up, ever since it was founded by three italist democracy—​a democracy for the Protests demanding the arrests of all the tweeted on July 24: “Today is Opening Black women, Patrisse Khan-Cullors, super-rich dominated by white supremacy. officers have been taking place almost daily Day, which means it's a great day to arrest Opal Tometi and Alicia Garza in response For BLM to truly become a “lifestyle” in Louisville, and other cities since May 25. the killers of Breonna Taylor.” Every to the racist lynching of Trayvon Martin and a reality, only a socialist revolution The season opener of the New York MLB team has added to their individual by vigilante George Zimmerman in 2012. will ultimately win that goal with the Liberty and the Seattle Storm on July 25 infields the insignia “BLM.” One cannot separate one from the other. eradication of racism and all forms of began with an empty court and 26 sec- It is significant that the MLB is rec- James has recently been outspoken on oppression under a true workers’ democ- onds of silence in honor of Taylor’s age ognizing BLM since unlike the majority the police murders of George Floyd and racy. But until that day, BLM will need when she was killed. After both teams Black WNBA, the National Basketball Breonna Taylor. the broadest support possible on a class- came out, they then purposely walked Association and the National Football The Black struggle has taken on many wide basis as the example of progressive off the court during the playing of the League, African Americans make up a organizational forms since the military athletes is showing. ☐ Unions call for ‘Strike for Black Lives’ By Betsey Piette the white police officer held his knee on for defunding or abolishing police. The Floyd’s neck resulting in his death. SEIU has not dealt with the role of police On July 20, unions led protests under Key demands included that corpora- “unions” in labor federations or as units the general banner “Strike for Black Lives” tions dismantle racism, white supremacy within unions such as SEIU. in over 160 U.S. cities, with tens of thou- and economic exploitation at work, as well In many cities, workers participating in sands participating. The call, initiated by as “unions for all.” However, the vaguely “strike” actions brought signs to “Defund Service Employees (SEIU), was endorsed worded demand that “elected officials use the Police,” for safer working conditions for Contingent of nurses in New York City July by over 60 unions and social justice groups. their authority to rewrite rules, so that essential workers during the pandemic and 20 strike. Many of those participating in the pro- Black people can thrive” fell short of calling demands for hazard pay and fair wages. tests were essential workers—​janitors, The coordinated actions could have been fast-food workers, nursing home and hos- stronger if the 1.1 million workers SEIU pital workers, and gig-economy drivers—​ represents had actually walked out—​with coming out in solidarity with the Black their leadership backing them. Lives Matter movement for racial justice Actions included marches of several in the aftermath of the police murders of hundred protesters in San Francisco George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and others. and New York City, a caravan of several In calling the one-day protest, organiz- hundred cars and trucks in South Los ers encouraged workers unable to partic- Angeles, murals painted on buildings in ipate for a full day to take a knee or walk eight cities and demonstrations held in off their jobs at noon for eight minutes PHOTO: SUSAN SCHNUR PHOTO: BETSEY PIETTE Philadelphia, Cleveland, Chicago, Detroit and 46 seconds—​the amount of time The Strike for Black Lives in Cleveland. Participants in Philadelphia Strike for Black Lives. and numerous other cities. ☐ Students demand: ‘Police-free schools!’ Opening Day: Change the name

A crowd of about 150 students, teachers, Police-Free Schools resolution and repur- parents and community members rallied pose its current Office of School Safety by protest in Cleveland on July 25 to get cops out of Philadelphia replacing school police officers with com- For 28 consecutive years, the of the Black Lives Matter movement for schools. A march led by the Philadelphia munity members. They would be trained Committee of 500 Years of f Dignity increasing the pace of changing racist Student Union went from LOVE Park to to provide the safety that comes from and Resistance has been protesting the imagery of sports teams at all levels. Family Court and ended at the School building peace and restorative justice, not use of the racist name and image of — Report and photo by Susan Schnur District of Philadelphia headquarters on police occupation and the school-to-prison the Cleveland base- North Broad Street. pipeline. ball team. In 2019, Philadelphia Student Union speakers — Report and photo by Joe Piette the team dropped the demanded the Board of Education pass a hated “mascot,” after removing it from team apparel in 2018. This spring team owner Paul Dolan finally announced the team will change its name. Over 100 people rallied outside the Progressive Field sta- dium on opening day, July 24. Speaker Phil Yenyo, executive direc- tor of the American Indian Movement of Ohio, credited the rise Page 8 July 30,23, 2020 workers.org Days of Resistance for Palestine, Aug. 7-9

By Kathy Durkin and Betsey Piette latest land grab. … This is simply the continuation of attempts of liquidation over 72 years of land theft, dispossession, apartheid and and destruction of the The Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity genocide — but it requires continued mobilization and cause of Palestine and Network has called on “all Palestinians and those who action to confront, alongside the siege on Gaza, the mass resist dispossession, stand for justice in Palestine to join together to organize imprisonment of Palestinians, the demolition of homes, exile and genocide — the Days of Resistance for Palestine from August 7-9.” the denial of Palestinian refugees’ right to return and and that all people These actions are dedicated to the memory of writer and further war crimes and crimes against humanity.” of conscience stand revolutionary Marxist Ghassan Kanafani. They mark the Further, Samidoun stresses the strength of Palestinian beside the Palestinian 48th anniversary of his assassination in Beirut, Lebanon, resistance: “Annexation is a continuing threat — espe- people in this critical PHOTO: SAMIDOUN by car bomb planted by Mossad, Israel’s brutal intelli- cially if the Israeli state thinks that it can pass unnoticed moment.” gence agency, on July 8, 1972. He was 36 years old. without continued resistance. The struggle is not over; Over 70 organizations have joined the call, including Recognized as a leading figure in Palestinian “resis- in many ways, it has just begun. … It must inspire us to National Students for Justice in Palestine in the United tance literature” — and the originator of the term — mobilize and organize — as Kanafani so clearly expressed States, Within our Lifetime-United for Palestine, the Kanafani stressed that Palestinian literature was deeply — to confront imperialism, Zionism and the reactionary Palestinian Youth Movement, Al-Awda, the Palestine connected with global struggles against oppression. A regimes that continue to collaborate with these forces of Right to Return Coalition and Africa for Palestine. true internationalist, he wrote: “Imperialism has laid its oppression, and to struggle for liberation. Every victory Workers World Party is an endorser. body over the world, the head in Eastern Asia, the heart of the peoples in struggle against these forces is a victory Events will highlight the struggles of Palestinian pris- in the Middle East, its arteries reaching Africa and Latin for Palestine and for our collective victory.” oners and their role in all areas of revolutionary strug- America. Wherever you strike it, you damage it, and you gle. So far, activities are planned in Charleroi, Belgium; serve the world revolution. … The Palestinian cause is Mobilize! Manchester, England; New York City and Vancouver, not a cause for Palestinians only, but a cause for every The Samidoun Network urges “all Palestinians inside and more will be announced as they unfold. revolutionary, wherever he is, as a cause of the exploited and outside Palestine, and all of the national forces, Samidoun salutes the martyrs of the Palestinian lib- and oppressed masses in our era.” popular institutions, youth, student and women’s move- eration struggle and calls for freedom for all Palestinian ments, social justice movements and solidarity organi- prisoners and the right of return for all refugees. The Stop Israel’s annexation plan! zations to participate actively in ‘banging on the walls of organization declares: “Victory, liberation and return Samidoun’s call explains that Israel’s dangerous pro- the tank’ … to break down the walls of silence.” will come for the struggling Palestinian people!” gram of annexation “continues to threaten Palestinians Samidoun stresses: “Join in marches, popular activ- For further information and to endorse, see in the West Bank, including the most fertile agricultural ities, demonstrations and remind the world that the samidoun.net. If there are questions, email land of the Jordan Valley, which is still slated for Israel’s Palestinian people will continue to rise and confront all [email protected]. ☐ U.S. ‘war games’ threaten Fight COVID, not China! COVID spread in Hawai’i

By Workers World Houston bureau

Workers World Party and other local activists deliv- ered a letter of solidarity to Consul General Cai Wei at the Chinese Consulate in Houston on July 23. They demonstrated outside to oppose the Trump administra- tion’s order that the consulate be vacated by July 24. The consulate served eight states across the southern U.S., PHOTO: DIY ROOTS ACTION providing assistance to Chinese citizens. RIMPAC, the world’s largest naval war practice that with Activist Caleb Granger stated: “The People’s Republic COVID endangers Hawai'i and the world. of China is increasingly scapegoated for the failures of the U.S. government. Since the Communist Party came By Quell Nessuno to power in 1949 and the People’s Republic of China was established, a total of 800 million people have been Despite the ongoing global pandemic, the U.S. lifted out of poverty. In the meantime, the U.S. has man- military has no plans to cancel RIMPAC (Rim of the WW PHOTO: GLORIA RUBAC aged to reach #1 in the worst way.” Demonstration outside the Chinese Consulate in Houston, Pacific Exercise), the largest international military Granger explained that the U.S. is now the #1 weapons July 23. exercise in the world. exporter in the world, sending death to nearly 100 coun- Beginning in 1971, and held every two years in June tries; the #1 possessor of weapons of mass destruction, China, using similar strategies under the leadership and July off the coast of Hawai'i, RIMPAC is a show including a mind-boggling 6,200 nuclear warheads; and of its Communist Party, has successfully contained the of imperialist force, a demonstration of the military #1 in military budget at $1 trillion a year and counting. pandemic. In the U.S. deaths from the virus rise, and capability of the U.S. and its allies. The U.S. is also #1 for mass shootings, with nearly unemployment is skyrocketing. Corporations are bailed In spite of the threat posed by COVID-19, peti- one-third of these massacres occurring in the U.S., and out, with most of the money voted “for relief” going to tions against the exercises and even requests from #1 in caging human beings. With only 4% of the Earth’s businesses and banks, but not to the people for necessi- Hawai'ian Gov. David Ige for participants not to dis- population, the U.S. holds 25% of the incarcerated ties like food and shelter. embark, the U.S. military has every intention of going population. through with the war games. Fight COVID, not China! Now the U.S. is #1 in COVID-19 cases and deaths in The islands of Hawai'i, colonial subjects of the the world. While China warned the world of the impend- At the July 23 Houston rally, Workers World Party since their annexation in 1898, have ing pandemic in early January and shared medical condemned the U.S. attacks on China, including on the reported more than 1,600 confirmed cases of COVID- expertise to stem its spread, the U.S. continues to use consulate, and the U.S. lack of response to the pandemic. 19 and 25 deaths. Beyond just the risk of infection to the virus to try to scapegoat China. Prioritizing profits over people is a deadly response that the islands’ inhabitants, the exercises have long been puts the whole world at risk. proven an environmental disaster. From brush fires Series of U.S. attacks on China Workers World Party called on the Trump administra- caused by live-fire demonstrations and disruption of The U.S. attack on China’s consulate is the most tion to reverse its order to China to vacate its consulate. local marine ecosystems by noise pollution to contam- recent U.S. aggression. The capitalists running the U.S. Fight COVID-19, not China! ination of the waters themselves, the U.S. capitalist make unsubstantiated claims about China to provoke WWP demands for the COVID crisis remain: government has proven itself all too willing to dese- economic war, while failing to meet the basic needs of 1. Free health care for all; crate lands which it originally stole to serve its busi- people in the U.S. during the global pandemic. 2. Nationalize the health care system under community ness interests. After over 150,000 U.S. deaths due to COVID — and control and build emergency hospitals; In this period of escalating tensions between the more deaths related to the capitalist crisis — it’s clear the 3. Full pay, benefits and guaranteed income for all; U.S. and China, these exercises cannot be seen as ruling class cannot be relied upon to even keep alive the 4. Food, housing, medical supplies and utilities including anything other than provocative. The Pentagon’s workers who generate their profits. internet for all; determination to conduct war games in the midst of a As Joshua Hanks noted in Workers World on May 26, 5. Suspend rent, evictions, mortgages, utility shutoffs devastating pandemic should be seen as shocking and “The U.S., with its highly developed economy, marshals and ALL debt; alarming, a sign of willingness to sacrifice untold lives massive resources for things like the Pentagon, Wall 6. Prioritize resources for communities of color, to disease while preparing for a major power conflict. Street bailouts, mass incarceration of Black and Brown migrants, LGBTQ2S+ people, seniors, youth and These exercises need to be understood as a threat to people, and extensive border controls. States like Kerala people with disabilities; China, and the world — showing that the U.S. imperi- [in India] and countries such as Laos and Vietnam do 7. Empty prisons and detention centers, shut down ICE alist ruling class will do anything to cement its hege- not have economies that are as highly developed, yet and end racist attacks; mony, no matter the cost to human or ecological life. what they do have, and what appears to be the key fac- 8.Community control — No cops — No military; In these times, it is absolutely critical to join with tor in containing the virus, are proactive, people-cen- 9. $2 trillion to the workers, not the banks; and Hawai'i in opposing these exercises and demanding tered leftist governments and mass organizations that 10. End U.S. wars, sanctions and environmental their cancellation. U.S. military out of Hawai'i! Cancel can mobilize millions of party members and the masses destruction. ☐ RIMPAC! No war with China! ☐ to achieve common goals for the public good.” workers.org July 30, 2020 Page 9

Why the best medicine is solidarity COVID-19, China and the U.S. By Sara Flounders the huge accomplishments of the Chinese Revolution. The following slightly edited article is based on a talk at the July 16 Workers U.S. military realignment World Party webinar,“Why We Defend But U.S. imperialism’s hopes of over- China.” It can be viewed on Facebook at turning the revolution were an illusion. tinyurl.com/y2fevsmx and also at you- China has developed a strong central tube.com/watch?v=R79sBDszTS4. government and through central plan- ning rapidly developed into the world's Whenever the U.S. ruling class targets second-largest economy. Not only could a country, it immediately whips up a cam- China feed its entire population, but paign in the background to create an ugly it lifted 800 million people out of dire climate of fear. It blankets the media with poverty and illiteracy. This is an historic the most negative images and racist ste- accomplishment! reotypes. This is psychological warfare to The realization of that fact led to a silence opposition. military realignment under the Obama The Trump administration is doing administration called the “pivot to Asia.” expectancy than a child born in Chicago prices — even for treatments, essential this today against China in the most Today, U.S. rulers from liberal to con- or Washington, D.C. tests, possible cures or hoped-for vac- overtly vicious way. servative, Democrats to Republicans, are The difference is staggering. China’s cines. Everything must turn a profit. They are not the first to use this tac- united in attacking China and blaming scientific approach to the outbreak Meanwhile, much to the frustration of tic. The U.S. was built on racism, slav- each other for not being harsh or threat- ensured widespread testing, tracking U.S. corporate power, China has estab- ery and genocide. Racism is the fabric of ening enough. This political unity of both and making available huge supplies of lished trade and aid with these targeted every political act and every war — rac- capitalist parties against China was con- essential equipment. The national health and sanctioned countries. This provides ism against Black people and all people firmed in a recent unanimous vote in the infrastructure extends down to the neigh- relief from the oppressive “world order” of color and against migrants. U.S. Congress for new sanctions against borhood level and has mobilized the that U.S. imperialism has built. We can’t forget the vicious anti-Muslim China. entire population. Our task is to tear down the racist attacks that for decades have accompa- Today we face an increasingly danger- In the U.S., there has been no social myths and confront the propaganda. nied U.S. wars in the Middle East, Africa ous situation. Two nuclear aircraft carrier mobilization, no provision of necessary Organize others to take a stand in defense and Central Asia — from Afghanistan to battle groups — each with accompanying materials in place, no planning. To deflect of China and against racist attacks and Iraq, Libya, Syria, Sudan and Somalia, destroyers, frigates and nuclear subma- mass anger at the complete incompetence war threats. as well as in the U.S. support of Israel’s rines, 70 aircraft and a B-1 supersonic and disarray of the system, the standard We need to explain to working people war on the Palestinians. Muslims were bomber — are conducting a “freedom of response is to blame China and resort to in crisis here in the U.S. that financing, labeled terrorists, rounded up, deported navigation” show of force in the South raw anti-communism. training and organizing disruptions in en masse, disappeared and jailed. China Sea, right off the coast of China. Hong Kong is not to promote “democ- We can’t forget that about 120,000 This brazen act is denounced by China Only competition, never cooperation racy.” Voting for sanctions on China Japanese Americans were forced into as “inciting confrontation.” The capitalist response is to take advan- and 39 other targeted countries is not U.S. concentration camps during World The U.S. ruling class wants to return tage of every crisis as leverage against any to “defend human rights.” Surrounding War II. More recent wars were accompa- to the days when it had fleets of naval perceived competitor who may be smaller China with aircraft carriers and missile nied by racist caricatures of Korean and gunboats on the rivers of China capable or weaker. batteries is not to ensure “freedom of nav- Vietnamese people. of traveling 1,000 miles inland to enforce What this has meant internationally igation” or “freedom of trade.” unequal treaties. is intensifying sanctions — a weapon It’s the same here at home. Deploying What about today? The U.S. Navy was there to protect of shortages and economic crisis — at a racist police is not to protect our The COVID-19 pandemic has hit the what? The “free trade” in opium. time when many developing countries communities. U.S. hard due to the complete lack of any It is also staggering hypocrisy for the are most vulnerable. So Washington has We urgently need to help build unity government preparation. We are also U.S. government to now claim support intensified threats against Venezuela, among the forces challenging these in the midst of a growing capitalist eco- for Muslims in Xinjiang, China, when Iran, Syria, Cuba and throughout African U.S. corporate lies and military threats. nomic collapse. Washington has for decades launched countries. One-third of the world’s popu- We may not all agree on every point of The U.S. government has failed to wars, bombings, invasions and occupa- lation is now under U.S. sanctions! China’s complex social development. protect the population here or contain tions against Muslim people. It has even Rather than cooperating and sharing, But we all agree that U.S. imperialism the COVID virus. As a result, the U.S. has built special prisons to jail Muslims, from the capitalist system cynically calculates is never a force for liberation or human the most cases in the world. China, where its illegal dungeon in Guantanamo to its how to capture markets and drive up progress. ☐ the outbreak began, has very successfully air base in Bagram, Afghanistan. contained the virus. [Editor’s note: As of This is an effort to rewrite the violent July 20, the U.S. had 433 cases per mil- history of U.S. wars against Muslims. lion people; China had 3.] 100,000 workers say Instead of learning from what China has Hiding U.S. imperialist failure done to protect its people, the authorities Like clockwork, capitalism crashes. ‘Pivot to Peace with China and the World’ here are instead trying to divert popular There has been a guaranteed recession or opinion into a “Blame China” campaign. depression every 7 to 10 years for the last By Dave Welsh 300 years. San Francisco Impact of the Chinese Revolution But the current capitalist crash comes From its earliest days, Workers World with the global pandemic of COVID-19. The following is based on a webi- Party has been discussing the impact of This virus changes everything. The whole nar presentation given on the July 18 the Chinese Revolution on the global system is tottering. Workers World Party webinar: “Why of 2011 was in fact a pivot toward war and class struggle. During this global crisis, however, We Defend China.” It can be viewed on confrontation that identified China as a We evaluated it as one of the most China is building an increasingly coordi- Facebook at tinyurl.com/y2fevsmx. competitor and adversary, carrying with thoroughgoing revolutionary upheavals nated economy, based on planning and it the threat of nuclear war, and in history. And it profoundly impacted human needs. Military veterans tend to have a deeper “Whereas, this dangerous policy has the class struggle in the U.S. China’s COVID fatalities are still under understanding of the human costs of war. created palpable feelings of fear, animos- The U.S. ruling class was shocked in 5,000 people, while U.S. COVID deaths So it was not surprising that Veterans for ity and even hatred not only toward the 1949 by the victory of China’s Red Army. are above 152,000 and rising, the high- Peace, East Bay chapter 162, introduced People’s Republic of China but toward The revolution awakened a world move- est in the world. In the latest count, some a resolution, “Pivot to Peace with China Chinese people in general and Chinese- ment across Asia and Africa against colo- 4.5 million people in the U.S. have tested and the World,” urging a de-escalation of American citizens and other Asian peo- nialism and Western domination. positive for COVID-19. international tensions that could lead to a ples in the United States, and It was a huge setback for imperialism’s The U.S., the center of world capital- major war. On July 13, the San Francisco “Whereas, humanity now faces multi- plans after World War II. ism, has spent decades building the most Labor Council, concerned that leaders of ple crises which threaten the well-being A major question posed in the Cold fabulously expensive military machine both major political parties were back to and very survival of our species, crises War and the 1950s witch hunt in the U.S. in history. Internally, it finances a huge beating the drums for war, adopted this which demand the cooperation of the was “Who LOST China?” repressive apparatus of police and pris- resolution for use by labor unions: two largest and most powerful countries, The Korean War and the Vietnam ons. All this repressive apparatus is an “Whereas, the San Francisco Labor China and the United States, War were efforts by Wall Street to turn endless source of profit. Council, representing some 100,000 “Therefore, be it resolved that the San back the revolutionary surge in Asia for At the same time, there is no fund- working people in labor unions, has many Francisco Labor Council urges the gov- self-determination and sovereignty. ing for a comprehensive public health times advocated the resolution of interna- ernment of the United States to reject Then, in 1979, the U.S. capitalist infrastructure. Hospitals, medicines and tional problems by peaceful means, and escalation toward global conflict and class had new hopes of gaining a foot- tests exist in an archaic, competitive for- opposed attempts to draw the United instead pursue peace, non-intervention, hold in China as the capitalist market profit system. The result is that a child States into war, and and cooperation with China and the rest expanded there, threatening to overturn born now in Beijing has a longer life “Whereas, the so-called Pivot to Asia of the world.” ☐ Page 10 July 30, 2020 workers.org

editorials Impasse over CARES 2 As COVID-19 spreads exponentially in grudgingly feeding and sheltering tens of payments. Essential workers with small the fact that many have to stay home to most of the United States where the rul- millions of workers—​although not the salaries go hungry. stop the spread of the virus. ing class has rushed to “open” the capi- undocumented nor many gig workers—​ The Democrats propose extending the Free testing and medical care for talist economy, unemployment has again ends on Aug. 1. flat $600 supplement until Jan. 1, 2021. COVID-19 are also vital, as are subsidies exploded. Personal economic disaster For those tens of millions of people, This provides more benefits for more for public schools to provide equal access looms for most working people. the abyss looms: Weekly payments of workers and reduces inequality. to safe education for all—​including stu- Congress must pass new emergency $600 for all unemployed workers stop. Republicans oppose the flat $600, dents with disabilities, education workers measures to aid the tens of millions of Protection from evictions stops. The one- calling it an incentive to stay unem- and families—and​ food for all. workers—​disproportionately Black, time $1,200 payment is long spent. ployed. If that were the real reason, they Much more is needed. Some of that will Brown, Indigenous and all other people This election year both big capitalist should immediately increase the federal be argued about publicly in Congress—​ who experience systemic racism—​who parties—​Republicans and Democrats—​ minimum wage of $7.25 an hour—​pov- though mostly behind closed doors. The now face economic catastrophe. must come through with an emergency erty wages, even when set in 2009—​to points raised here are the absolute mini- The virus has thrown a spotlight on program, CARES 2, to avoid chaos. They at least $15, support union drives, raise mum that the capitalist class and its rep- the contradictions and inequalities at the must agree very soon. Right now, July salaries across the board, while insisting resentatives must ensure that Congress core of capitalism. Millions see that the 28, the Republicans have yet to announce that bosses provide personal protective passes in CARES 2. capitalist system itself is responsible for their own program—​but what they are equipment and clothing. The truth is: Let the Democrats also feel the fire of their suffering. In the most blatant way, discussing is so bad for the workers, it They despise workers. rebellion to stop them from trading away U.S. society under Trump exposes capi- makes the Democratic Party program Another vital protection is the morato- the most desperate needs of the workers. talism’s failures. look good in comparison. rium on evictions. For unemployed work- If the parties provide less than this mini- CARES Act 1, the “stimulus pack- The Republicans want unemployment ers whose payments arrive late or not at mum, they demonstrate that they and the age” that bailed out the biggest capital- payments to be 70 percent of each work- all, a moratorium is absolutely necessary ruling class they represent are incapable ist corporations and banks in March and er’s salary and no more. The bigger the to stop them from being thrown out on of running society. ☐ kept some small businesses alive, while salaries, the bigger the unemployment the streets—​in blatant contradiction to Solidarity, the best antitoxin As the coronavirus spreads around racial discrimination by itself is a risk fac- The anthem of the labor movement the globe, the United States continues tor, in addition to its damaging effects on in the 1930s was “Solidarity Forever.” to report by far the largest number of health care access and utilization. Today we see courageous people in the cases and deaths. As of July 27, the fig- People targeted by racism are more streets demonstrating against racism and ures show nearly 4.5 million cases in this likely to work in areas of the economy oppression of all kinds who are reviving country and over 150,000 deaths. That most exposed to the virus. They suffer the meaning of solidarity. comes to 454 deaths per million people. from subpar education, low income and And solidarity is what is needed to By contrast, China has had 3 deaths per wealth gaps, as well as less access to hous- get through this crisis. Solidarity is how million, even though it was the first coun- ing and health care, all of which make China, Cuba and Vietnam have stamped try to discover the virus and had to start them more vulnerable in the pandemic. out the virus before it could spread. It from scratch in figuring out how to deal The spread of COVID-19 in the U.S. has takes the active trust of the population with the epidemic. Vietnam has had no shone a glaring light on the great social in the government and in your fellow deaths. Cuba has had 8 deaths per million. inequalities here. At the same time, many workers, neighbors and acquaintances to We’ve made this point before, but with people are literally risking their lives to go carry out an effective campaign against each passing day the contrast between to work—and​ to take part in demonstra- this disease. the two social systems—​capitalism and tions against the system. On a governmental level in the U.S., socialism—becomes​ more glaring. The risk comes not only from being there is certainly no solidarity. It is Even the U.S. government admits that exposed to the virus in a crowd. One a snake pit of rivalry, backstabbing, PHOTO: KITTY STAPP poverty and racism are factors deter- marcher, Garrett Foster, was shot and lying, cheating and accusations. All of Sign in the window of a mining who in this capitalist country killed by a right-winger on July 25 while it is driven by the viciously competi- Manchester, Conn. hair salon. gets the disease and who dies from it. at a Black Lives Matter protest against tive character of capitalism. The victor The CDC—​Centers for Disease Control police brutality in Austin, Texas. Foster takes the spoils. Whoever takes over the racist system is building solidarity in the and Prevention—on​ July 24 released an was white; his fiancee is Black and a qua- levers of political power—​Republican or grassroots. We are seeing it in the streets updated version of the report, “Health druple amputee. Democrat—​gets to distribute the lucra- of Portland, Ore., and in all the places Equity Considerations and Racial and Hatred—the​ opposite of solidarity—is​ tive government contracts. where workers come together and risk Ethnic Minority Groups.” It shows that what drives the far right. But the struggle against this rotten, their lives each day. ☐ Fighting fascism, white supremacy, capitalism Continued from page 1 We should see the problem like this. characterize themselves—​as com- The more we define it as a class strug- Obviously, fascism is dangerous. But munists, trade unionists, anarchists, gle and organize it as a class struggle particularly for people of color and the here's the contradiction. The fact that anti-imperialists, or in some cases, inter- against mass unemployment, mass evic- most oppressed. the ruling class, or some elements in the nationalists—that​ our job now is to take tions and mass hunger, then the closer ruling class, are toying with fascism, and a very decisive turn toward organizing we are getting to the point where we can Capitalist system in crisis that they feel desperate enough to try to our class, the working class, to defend turn the fear of the threat of fascism into A revolutionary Marxist view of the employ it, is a sign that the capitalist sys- itself against the threat of fascism and an opportunity to make revolutionary threat of fascism is completely different. tem is falling apart at the seams. military dictatorship. But not by kow- socialism. We see the danger of a fascist movement While one side of this contradiction is towing to the Democratic Party and and the danger of a militarized police dangerous, the other side is very prom- thinking that a Democratic Congress or Join Workers World Party! state as a symptom of the fact that the ising if the working class and the revolu- a new Democratic president will be the I think people should think very hard capitalist economic system has reached a tionary forces get their act together and solution. about joining Workers World Party. We level of crisis that completely overwhelms organize to turn the crisis of the system History has shown us that's not the love our name because we're a workers’ the ruling class. They don't know what into a revolutionary crisis instead of a fas- truth. party. We want people to know that there to do about it. And they're worried about cist crisis—one​ that will ultimately lead Demonstrating that the working class is a workers’ party and that this party rep- having political control. to socialist revolution. is organizing itself, enlightening itself, resents workers around the world. You So frantically and desperately, they What the struggle is like when fascism becoming more radical, becoming more can't divide us with racism and chauvin- look for extreme measures to defend their is a real danger we learned from what militant, becoming more anti-capitalist ism of any type. system, the capitalist system, to make happened in Germany, Italy and Spain and more pro-socialist is the answer to Think about the call for workers’ assem- sure that it doesn't literally fall apart. I less than a century ago. The struggle the fascist threat. blies—not to take the place of unions believe that this is such a time. First, the between fascism and socialism is ulti- I invite everyone to join all my com- where they're doing good work—but to ruling class employs fascism as a move- mately a class struggle for power. Our rades in this bold but essential effort to begin the process of the mass organiza- ment and then as a form of rule to dis- class lost back then. Some of you know begin to turn the struggle into a class tion of our class to defend itself first and place bourgeois democracy. what the consequences of that were. struggle. The struggle against racism and foremost against attacks. Then when the The working class, especially an Others will have to learn. white supremacy is a class struggle. The working class is strong enough to turn enlightened working class, is a big ques- struggle against Confederate statues is the crisis into a revolutionary possibility tion. We’ve got to work to make more of Turn the struggle into a class struggle! a class struggle. The struggle for immi- in that respect, the socialist revolution our working class enlightened. That is a I believe, with this understanding, grant rights is a class struggle. And the will all of a sudden appear on the hori- big part of our problem. Nothing is big- Workers World Party and those amongst struggles against anti-LGBTQ2S+ bigotry zon—not too far away. ☐ ger than that. But I'm optimistic about it. the revolutionary forces, however they and misogyny are class struggles. workers.org July 30, 2020 Page 11 Does ‘Operation Legend’ signal growing fascistic threat? By Teresa Gutierrez raid siren calling on all white suprema- cists to continue these attacks against the The top attorney in the country, the movement. person who is supposed to uphold the The so-called violence that Barr and law the most, is also the most crooked Trump refer to may or may not be real. and dangerous. It may be serious or not. But the solution Not to mention that he is an utter white to any antisocial actions in the communi- supremacist who wouldn’t mind at all if ties of color and among the poor will not the country went fascist. be resolved with Operation Legend. In Even his own colleagues, other lawyers fact, it will only aggravate them. It will who operate daily in an unjust justice sys- divert attention from the real problems tem to begin with, charge U.S. Attorney of unemployment, lack of education and General with “a pattern of health care. alleged ethical violations … in the last two A “surge” of the very agents who killed years” alone. (Bloomberg Law, July 24) George Floyd means further occupation In fact, the New York Law Journal pub- of a terrorist force. lished an article titled “It's Clear: Attorney The only solution to problems in the General William Barr Must Go” written cities is money for jobs, health care and by Elliott Jacobson. (June 25) Jacobson is education, not police occupation. Block- not alone in calling for Barr’s disbarment. by-block organizing, self-defense com- So it was no surprise to anyone when on mittees, domestic violence hot lines, food pantries, etc., are desperately needed, not July 22, Attorney General William Barr Stand-off with federal troops in Seattle on July 25. PHOTO: ROBIN EVERETT stated that the responses to the murder of more police occupation. George Floyd are “extreme reactions that When the Trump administration have demonized police.” (CNN, July 23) their war against the workers and the Mo., allegedly by an unknown drive-by announced the “surge” of police to As a result, he went on, there has been oppressed. Furthermore, they are setting shooter. Chicago, Mayor said in a “a significant increase in violent crime in up a situation where Barr and Trump With “Operation Legend,” the Trump July 21 tweet: “Under no circumstances many cities.” alone dictate the actions of the federal administration has sarcastically taken the will I allow Donald Trump’s troops This statement was made at the very storm troopers. actual war of racist police against people to come to Chicago and terrorize our moment that federal and Immigration The fact that the protests that erupted of color and turned it around to launch a residents.” and Customs Enforcement agents, under after the heinous murders of George program that will intensify that war. According to Channel 5 news in Barr’s leadership, are beating, gassing Floyd, Breonna Taylor and countless oth- The DOJ describes Operation Legend Chicago, Mayor Lightfoot stated: “In and arresting protesters in Portland, Ore., ers have not ebbed has the ruling capital- as a “sustained, systematic and coordi- Portland (the feds) ignored the (local) in actions that are reminiscent of Nazi ist class not only worried but frightened. nated law enforcement initiative across all U.S. Attorney, put these agents on the Germany or fascist Chile. Those arrested The perfect storm of ongoing police federal law enforcement agencies work- street and I don't think anyone can quib- are activists who are determined to honor terror against people of color and an eco- ing in conjunction with state and local ble with the fact that what happened was the name of George Floyd while others nomic crisis aggravated by a cruel health law enforcement officials to fight the sud- not only unconstitutional, it was undem- are being brutally pulled off the streets pandemic have resulted in not only disil- den surge of violent crime, beginning in ocratic." (July 22) The city of Chicago is and into unmarked cars. lusionment with the capitalist system, but Kansas City, MO. Operation Legend was launching a lawsuit against Troop to pre- Barr’s statement was made at the same anger that is not likely to cool down. created as a result of President Trump’s vent federal troops from coming there. time that he and Trump promised to send promise to America’s cities that are The top attorney in this country is a these very same storm troopers to other Operation Legend ‘surges’ plagued by recent violence.” white supremacist crook with no respect urban areas under the direction of only Barr’s comments were made at a White The DOJ, instead of investigating and for democracy or the Constitution, his the federal government. This is a far House press conference where the Trump punishing police and vigilantes who ter- own colleagues in the legal world have departure from what exists now, where administration announced that the gov- rorize the people, is launching a “surge” now stated. local governments have more say. ernment will be launching a “federal of those who carry out that terror. But revolutionaries have always known Why did Barr say this now, over two law enforcement surge” to urban areas. Federal and ICE agents are terrorizing that the legal system under capitalism months since Brother Floyd was killed? (Justice Department, July 8) the people of Portland. Racists are killing has never represented the interests of the Barr and the cabal in the White House The program is called “Operation protesters in Austin, Texas. workers and the oppressed. When it is are sending messages to the right wing, Legend,” cynically and mockingly named With Operation Legend, the Trump coming for the liberals, it’s time to worry and especially the cops, that they are after four-year-old LeGend Taliferro, a administration, including Barr, is not about the encroachment of fascism in the determined to continue carrying out child killed while asleep in Kansas City, just sending a dog whistle, but an air U.S. ☐ The state’s use of technology: El movimiento de An issue for the movement Portland contraataca Continúa de la página 12 Hasta la fecha, el Secretario Wolf solo se Continued from page 5 against political repression, which ha reunido con Turner y no con ningún include pushing back against the arsenal “La policía de Portland y los oficiales funcionario de la ciudad o del estado. agencies alike? Or should we retreat into of high-tech tools, will become increas- federales marcharon hombro con hom- La escalada del gobierno federal ocu- only using the latest encrypted apps and ingly important. So too is connecting bro el domingo por la mañana para dis- rre solo unos meses antes de las eleccio- leave social media altogether? this fight with active worker struggles persar a los manifestantes en el centro”, nes generales de 2020 a medida que la Both acquiescing and retreating are inside these corporations. se dijo en un artículo del 18 de julio en posición de Trump en las encuestas elec- incorrect responses. Considerations In the long run, our movements must The Oregonian, el periódico más grande torales se desploma. Desesperado por around security must be balanced against be more concerned with our overreli- del estado. En una conferencia de prensa, revertir su fortuna, Trump y sus partida- the necessary tasks of intervening in the ance on corporate-owned technology “el jefe de policía de Portland Chuck Lovell rios, incluidos los policías, podrían estar living class struggle and building a broad tools. We must take seriously the task confirmó que las dos fuerzas comparten usando a Portland para probar tácticas mass movement that brings in workers, of developing left technology that can planes en tiempo real entre sí”. autoritarias, preparándose para usarlas particularly now during the uprising that support our work and help build our El subjefe Chris Davis reveló a los legis- en otros lugares. continues to break out around us. movements, while avoiding the pitfalls ladores estatales en una audiencia legisla- Es alentador que la primera reacción Adopting organizational and personal and risks associated with our overuse of tiva que “un miembro del Servicio Federal de Portland fue enfrentar la creciente practices around security, and advancing corporate-owned technologies. de Protección se encuentra en el puesto de represión con una lucha intensificada, broader consciousness about the myriad To be sure, such a task is much eas- mando de la Policía de Portland durante con un “Muro de las madres” que pro- ways that the state, the right-wing and ier said than done. But as these issues las manifestaciones en el centro”. tege a los manifestantes en el Palacio de technology corporations collaborate to become more widely understood and El Comisionado Hardesty emitió esta Justicia Federal. Es un buen comienzo. surveil and impede our movements, is addressed in a serious way by our move- declaración pública el 18 de julio en La represión y las tácticas fascistas del paramount. Several guides on how to do ments, this task should orient our long- Twitter: “Sabemos que el presidente de estado deben ser cumplidas por un just that have been developed by move- term interventions around them. This la Asociación de Policía de Portland, movimiento popular antirracista y anti- ment organizations and are readily avail- will aid in the development of a revolu- Daryl Turner, se reunió con el secreta- fascista que nunca dejará de impulsar able online. tionary movement of the working class rio del DHS, Chad Wolf. Sabemos que sus demandas de justicia y libertad del Raising demands and engaging in that can fight for and win socialism. ☐ la policía de Portland está colaborando racismo, la supremacía blanca y la bru- the struggle to defend our movements con esta fuerza de ocupación federal”. talidad policial. ☐ Correspondencia sobre artículos en Workers World/Mundo Obrero El capitalismo en un pueden ser enviadas a: [email protected] callejón sin salida Fred Goldstein utiliza las leyes de la acumulación capitalista de Marx, y la tasa decreciente de ganancia, para demostrar por qué el capitalismo global ha llegado finalmente a un punto de inflexión. ¡Proletarios y oprimidos de todos los paises unios! workers.org Vol. 62 Núm. 31 30 de julio 2020 $1 LowWageCapitalism.com Indignación por ataque de Trump El movimiento de Portland contraataca Por Joshua Hanks dos latas de veneno, sin previo Portland, Oregon aviso, a una multitud no vio- lenta, incluidos los ancianos y 22 de julio. Se desplegaron los vulnerables”. oficiales federales para “sofocar” las protestas de Portland a par- La represión del graffiti tir del fin de semana del 10 de suscita resistencia julio y continuando la semana En semanas anteriores, las siguiente. Agentes no identifi- multitudes habían disminuido a cados y camuflados arrestaron cientos en las protestas noctur- y detuvieron a manifestan- nas. Ahora, la llegada de oficia- tes sin siquiera un pretexto. les y funcionarios federales ha La administración Trump ha galvanizado a miles de personas intensificado la confrontación en Portland, incluidos muchos entre la gente y el aparato esta- residentes mayores. Muchos tal, trayendo un olor a fascismo de los que no suelen asistir a a la ciudad. El movimiento de las manifestaciones están con- Portland está luchando. mocionados e indignados por Como en todas las gran- lo que ven como una ocupación des ciudades de los EE.UU., de su ciudad por parte de vio- Portland, Oregón, ha visto a lentos agitadores externos--los miles de personas irrumpir en agentes federales. las calles, puentes y plazas de El objetivo de Trump de sofo- la ciudad desde el asesinato de car las protestas e intimidar a George Floyd a manos de la Las madres contra la brutalidad policial mantienen la línea contra los policías federales, protegiendo a los las personas para que se queden policía de Minneapolis. La gente manifestantes frente al Centro de Justicia del Condado de Multnomah, Portland, Oregon, en las primeras horas en casa ha funcionado al revés, ha protestado por el asesinato de la mañana del 20 de julio. un resultado predecible en una de Floyd y el de los miles de ciudad conocida por sus gran- otras víctimas principalmente des y regulares protestas. negras, morenas e indígenas de la bruta- Ciudad de Portland y muchas personas la A los detenidos no se les informa sobre Para justificar las tácticas extremas uti- lidad policial desenfrenada. Las protestas vean como la que más simpatiza con la los delitos que se les imputan o solo se lizadas por los oficiales federales, tácticas en Portland han continuado durante más comunidad activista a menudo estridente les dan razones vagas para su detención. que se ajustan al Chile del ex dictador de 50 días consecutivos. de la ciudad. Estos arrestos han despertado enojo y Pinochet, el jefe interino del DHS, Wolf, En todo el país, este movimiento con- Pero las fuerzas represivas federales preocupación en Portland. Aquí, los para- publicó una lista de las fechas y ubica- tra la violencia policial racista se ha fueron incluso peores que el PPB. Oregon militares fascistas vestidos con camuflaje ciones de los graffiti que los manifestan- encontrado con más violencia policial, Public Broadcasting informó el 12 de julio y equipo similares aparecen regular- tes habían pintado. Si el conflicto fuera asfixiando los centros urbanos de costa que un oficial de los Alguaciles de EE.UU. mente en manifestaciones donde atacan menos grave, la respuesta feroz de Wolf al a costa con gases lacrimógenos y una le disparó en la cabeza al manifestante a izquierdistas y ayudan a la policía. graffiti sería ridícula. En cambio, subraya amplia gama de las llamadas armas Donavan LaBella, de 26 años, con muni- Los oficiales federales están confun- el motivo real del gobierno: aplastar un menos letales. Utilizado incorrectamente, ciones “menos que letales” en lo que los diendo las líneas entre ellos y los para- movimiento popular antirracista y anti- como lo ha hecho la policía en muchas testigos describieron como un ataque militares fascistas. Muchas personas fascista que ha barrido el país como un ocasiones, tales armas han sido de hecho no provocado, causando fracturas facia- sospechan que algunos oficiales de la incendio forestal y se ha mantenido letales. El gas lacrimógeno en sí es un les y del cráneo que requirieron cirugías Patrulla Fronteriza de los Estados Unidos durante más de dos meses. arma química prohibida en la guerra por reconstructivas. LaBella permanece hos- están involucrados en estos secuestros. El estado busca cualquier razón, por el derecho internacional. pitalizada en estado crítico. La Patrulla Fronteriza ha mejorado la absurda o falsa que sea, para justificar sus Ted Wheeler, el alcalde demócrata de sua autoridad dentro de las 100 millas de viciosos ataques contra los manifestantes. Portland, ha protestado contra los oficia- Los federales se movilizan cualquier costa o frontera, y por lo tanto Etiqueta a cualquiera como terrorista o les federales de Trump, por lo que podría El jefe interino del Departamento de abarca Portland y dos tercios de toda la anarquista violento por su participación en sorprender a la gente de todo el país que Seguridad Nacional, Chad Wolf, llegó población de los EE. UU. el movimiento, sin importar cuán pacífica o las multitudes de personas que la poli- a Portland el 16 de julio por orden de El periódico local Willamette Week, constitucional pueda ser su participación. cía de Portland ha brutalizado todas las Trump de supervisar la represión federal. después de identificar los números de Incluso la gobernadora de Oregon, Kate noches, lo detestan. Wheeler inicialmente Los oficiales federales han aumentado el matrícula en varias camionetas del video Brown, junto con muchos otros políti- acordó limitar el uso de gases lacrimóge- uso de gases lacrimógenos, armas quími- de los secuestros, determinó que fueron cos estatales y locales, condenó la repre- nos por parte de la Oficina de Policía de cas a grandes multitudes sin previo aviso, alquilados a EAN Holdings LLC, una sub- sión como un caso de extralimitación Portland, aunque no prohibirlo por com- lo que este reportero experimentó de pri- sidiaria operativa de Enterprise Holdings, federal y pidió que los oficiales se fueran. pleto, después de la indignación masiva mera mano la noche del 17 de julio. propietaria de las marcas Enterprise, Históricamente, los oficiales federales han por el asalto desenfrenado de la policía Múltiples informes y secuencias de Alamo y National de alquiler de automó- ayudado solo a pedido de los líderes esta- con el arma química. video retratan a los oficiales federales viles. Esto no debería sorprender a nadie tales y locales. Nunca han sido impuestas Wheeler es el alcalde y el comisionado vestidos de camuflaje, que carecen de que conozca las profundas relaciones por la Casa Blanca a los estados, como está de la Oficina Policial de Portland (PPB, números o etiquetas de identificación, entre las corporaciones y la policía. sucediendo ahora en Oregon. siglas en inglés), y por lo tanto, tiene un agarran a las personas de las calles y las Greyhound Bus Lines, por ejemplo, Es irónico que los llamados conserva- poder unilateral dentro del Ayuntamiento llevan a camionetas sin marcar, luego ha sido un blanco frecuente de manifes- dores, que a menudo dicen que apoyan para las asignaciones de la PPB. Portland las conducen con los ojos vendados a un tantes que denuncian su colaboración los derechos de los estados y se oponen a es la última ciudad importante en los EE. lugar no revelado. Ahora la gente sabe con agentes de Inmigración y Control de la extralimitación federal, han permane- UU. que utiliza la forma de gobierno, que que este fue el Palacio de Justicia Federal Aduanas que realizan incursiones en los cido en silencio. se llama comisión. Esta forma combina de Hatfield, a una cuadra al norte de la pasajeros de Greyhound. El alcalde Wheeler, quien se unió al la autoridad legislativa y ejecutiva al dar sede del PPB, donde fueron interrogados La semana de Willamette informó el 20 gobernador Brown para condenar la pre- al alcalde y a los comisionados de la ciu- y fotografiados. de julio que durante el fin de semana, “los sencia violenta de oficiales federales, ini- dad el control sobre oficinas individuales Workers World habló con un manifes- videos virales y las fotos de la protesta del cialmente aseguró al público que el PPB, como la oficina de policía, la oficina de tante (cuyo nombre no se menciona aquí sábado por la noche mostraron a la poli- bajo su control directo, no estaba coor- transporte, la oficina de parques, etc. por su seguridad) en la noche del 17 de cía federal golpeando a un veterano de la dinando con los oficiales federales y no El alcalde se ha resistido a los llamados julio, quien describió cómo los oficiales Armada, Christopher David, con porras lo haría. Sin embargo, después de varias a entregar el control de PPB a la comi- federales lo agarraron de la acera y lo y gases lacrimógenos a una multitud que noches de protestas, ha quedado claro sionada Jo Ann Hardesty y poner fin a su empujaron a una camioneta sin marcar. incluía al comisionado del condado de que los oficiales del PPB han avanzado evidente conflicto de intereses. Elegida Fue liberado al día siguiente después de Multnomah, Sharon Meieran”. Meieran sobre los manifestantes en coordinación en 2018, Hardesty es la primera y única una noche de intensos interrogatorios en tuiteó: “Anoche fui golpeada por una con los agentes federales. mujer negra elegida para el Consejo de la el tribunal federal. fuerza de ocupación federal que vi arrojar Continúa en la página 11