HOME FRONT BUBBA MILITARY FAMILIES SPEAK OUT 3 FESSES UP 5 THE INDYPENDENT

THE NEW YORK CITY INDEPENDENT MEDIA CENTER ISSUE #40 OCTOBER 25–NOVEMBER 11, 2003 WWW.NYC.INDYMEDIA.ORG THE TIPPING POINT ILLUSTRATION: MICHAEL ULRICH editorial It’s no exaggeration to say that the next 12 months may be one of the most important years ever in America’s history. The presidency of George W. Bush is unraveling, reveal- ing a morass of deceit, corruption and gangsterism.

he war against Iraq has degenerated into a quagmire, Democrats both conspire to oust the government of Hugo more to the IMF than his own people. as more and more GIs and Iraqis are fed into the meat Chavez because he demands that the poor have a right to the Here at home, from the Battle of Seattle in December Tgrinder. It’s a combination of imperial religious cru- nation’s wealth. The Palestinians have been abandoned to 1999 to the millions in the streets last Feb. 15 opposing sade and gun-slinging treasure hunt, like the Spanish the regime of terror Israel inflicts upon them daily. In Asia, the war and the Immigrant Workers Freedom Ride, we’ve Conquistadors wiping out the Aztecs and making off with a Bush is heaping weapons on autocratic regimes that desper- seen the greatest outpouring of dissent in a generation. mountain of gold. Raids and detention camps are higher pri- ately want to portray homegrown conflicts over poverty and Come next November, it's payback time. Bush’s poll orities than restoring water and electricity for Iraqi families. repression as battlegrounds in the terror war. numbers have fallen faster than Saddam's statue. But King These crusaders are doling out Iraq’s resources to corpo- Americans are wondering why we've dished out more George and his court of crooks and charlatans are afraid of rate cronies like Halliburton and Bechtel. The Iraqis have than $160 billion for the Iraq War and are spending more the power of dissent, and are shredding the Constitution enough oil to fill the Grand Canyon, but the Americans on social programs in Iraq than back home. But that's the to suppress it. They may still find a way to steal another are too busy trying to figure out who’s shooting at them to way of the Bushies. They've got trillions for the ultra-rich election, with a little help from their friends who own the get it flowing again, resulting in a gas shortage. A and a smack upside the head for the rest of us. We have electronic voting machines. We can’t afford that. But at Halliburton unit is now shipping in gasoline to Iraq at been saddled with a declining economy and a massive fed- the same time, we don’t want to install a Democrat who $1.62 a gallon (more than twice the going rate in the eral deficit that the Republicans gleefully proclaim will offers me-too Republicanism. Middle East), and the Bush administration’s Occupier-in- “starve the beast”—bankrupt government. For three years now, The Indypendent has been proud to Command, Paul Bremer, is paying $250 million a month But hope too is on the rise. The World Trade be part of this growing independent people’s movement. for it, all with Iraqi oil money. Organization was dealt what may be a terminal blow by We know Americans are hungry for the truth and solu- This endless “war against terror” spans the globe. In people power in Cancun. Labor is shaking off its lethargy tions, and not for celebrity politics and tabloid scandals. Colombia, those who speak out against injustice are brutal- and organizing alongside activists to topple the Free Trade Together, our collective power can create the tipping point ized by a death-squad regime armed, trained and financed Area of the Americas summit next month in Miami. for when the Bush presidency finally crumbles. We invite by the United States. In Venezuela, the Republicans and Bolivians have just tossed out a president who answered you to subscribe and join us for what will be an exciting year. BOLIVIA UPRISING, P.7 WEATHER UNDERGROUND, P.10 BOOK REVIEWS, P.14 2 OCTOBER 25 – NOVEMBER 11, 2003 THE INDYPENDENT Subways, John T Subways, John Suzy Jessica Stein,CatrionaStuart, Quiggle, Tatiana Reis,NandorSala, Pecinovsky, MarkPickens,Derz Li Neri, SashaNevskaya,AnaNogueira, Janelle Lewis,F. Hradsky, AliciaKubista,AshleyKidd, Gupta, PandiHopkins,Vanessa ChrisFleisher,Megan Farrington, A.K. Chris Day, Dunsmuir, Ryan MiguelErb, Coslow,Choi, Andrew EllenDavidson, Burke, KatherineA.Carlson,Sina Jed Brandt,KazembeBulagoon,Mike Chris Anderson,SilviaArana,FritzAskew, VOLUNTEER STAFF: editorialprocess. the entire in ity. We welcomeyourparticipation forlength,contentandclar- edit articles ofparticipation. encourage allforms we onvolunteersupport, ing entirely r the web,takephotosorjusthelpus on and rallies,self-publisharticles write forTheIndypendent,filmevents The IMChasanopendoor. You can WHAT CANIDOTOGETINVOLVED? with similarmissions. andindividuals organizations ads from and fits, subscriptions,donations,grants drive ofprofit. the hands ofthepeople,awayfrom munication dialogue andplacingthemeansofcom- ing tocommunicate.We espouseopen media toolsandspacetothoseseek- munities andeco individuals,com- lyze issuesaffecting tion. We seektoilluminateandana- political andculturalself-representa- usingmediatofacilitate organization issues. We acommunity-based are in-depth andaccuratecoverageof progressive, media ethicbyproviding media activists. networkofvolunteer international an is the IndependentMediaCenter theworld, than 100citiesthroughout With autonomouschaptersinmore WHAT ISINDYMEDIA? NYC IndependentMediaCenter un the office. As an organization rely- Asanorganization un theoffice. na NEW YORKCITY The print team reserves therightto The printteamreserves The Indypendentisfundedby anew The IMCseekstocreate NYC: www.nyc.indymedia.org GLOBAL: www.indymedia.org MEDIA CENTER [email protected] INDEPENDENT 34 E.29thSt.,2ndFloor Pa llo Office andMail: Office 212.684.8112 NY, NY10016 tta and creativity back in the backin and creativity , DonaldPaneth,Tony Phone: Email: W arleton, MikeWu Timothy Martin, Lydia Timothy Martin, systems byproviding eb: bene- IRAQ W T tary andoccupationfacilities. cannot comewithinhalfakilometerofmili- ing Baghdad’s centerandwhydemonstrations explain the10-foot-highmoundsofdirtring- rationale issecurity, whichisalsosupposed to gun atopa60-tontankkeepswatch.The by IraqipolicewhileaGImanningmachine ing whereeveryoneandeverythingissearched barrier, accordingtoAgence-FrancePresse. in a10-foot-high,20-inch-thickconcrete enclosed thetwo-square-mileneighborhood Republican PalaceandU.S.forceshave officials havesettledintothenearby watched asPaulBremerandotheroccupation hood greetvisitorsthesedays.They’ve Palestinians whoareconsidereda“security importing cheaplaborfromAsiatoreplace desert todrawonIsraeliexperience…” were senttoamockArabtownintheNegev maneuvers atthebeginningofyear. Some American soldiersweresenttoIsraelforjoint reported onApril2,“Closeto1,000 been studyingIsraelitactics.The Americans, dothesameinBaghdad.” wall intheWest Bank.Theirmentors,the captive. TheIsraelissurroundPalestiniansbya B A QUAGMIREBYANYNAME PHOTO: ANDYSTERN ashree, fumesattherestrictions.“We areheld Y Dina Saleh,an18-year-old residentofAl- T Some ofthatIsraeliexperienceincludes This isnocoincidence.U.S.forceshave AK G raffic isfunneledthroughanarrowopen- Baghdad’s Al-Tashree’s neighbor- T elcome tothe“West Bankonthe UPTA igris” ishowresidentsof SINCE MAY 1: NUMBER OFU.S.SOLDIERS KILLEDINIRAQ END TOHOSTILITIESONMAY 1,2003: SINCE GEORGEW. BUSHDECLAREDAN NUMBER OFASSAULTS ONU.S.TROOPS U.S. TROOPSPERDAY: NUMBER OFIRAQICIVILIANSWOUNDEDBY 530,000 BETWEEN 1990AND2003: IRAQ WHODIEDDUETOSANCTIONS NUMBER OFCHILDRENUNDERAGE2IN as ofmid-August: last April: NUMBER OFDEATHS PERDAY INBAGHDAD: in the1991GulfWar: in Baghdad: in U.S./UKinvasion: NUMBER OFIRAQICIVILIANSKILLED: S (Village Voice, 5/2/03) 10 TATS (Guardian, 6/13/03) Between (Iraqi BodyCount) 103 28 (BBC News,10/19/03) ( Between 7,395and9,198 CBC, 10/7/03) (ibid) 2,278 1,700 and2,356 10-20 Guardian (Iraqi Governmentfigure) 345,000 to (Times, 9/15/03) risk.” The T Pakistani managerinBaghdadforthe prison-building tocateringforU.S.troops.” Asian labortoimplementcontracts,from that U.S.contractorsareshippingin“South champagne corksorcriesof“Vive les were noflower-strewn parades,popping liberation ofParisfromtheNazis.Butthere moted the“liberationofIraq”asakinto quest. Initially, WhiteHouseofficials pro- priate historicalanalogyfortheU.S.con- over theconflictcentersonmostappro- Israeli occupation.Inmanywaysthedebate U.S. occupationofIraqisjustarerunthe and cheapoilforroad-hoggingHummers. securing profitsforBush’s corporatebuddies land. TheU.S.occupationismainlyabout tence isbaseduponthetheftofPalestinian the costsofoccupationbecauseitsveryexis- is thatIsraelhassofarbeenwillingtosustain are alienatingthepopulation.Thedifference informants. AndliketheIsraelis,U.S.forces building, checkpoints,detentionsand Israeli operationalstrategyofraids,wall- Kellogg BrownandRoot.) subcontractor forHalliburtonsubsidiary admits topayingworkersonly$3aday, isa dozen Iraqisforcleaning.(Tamimi, which Nepalese initskitchens,andusesonlyafew 1,800 Pakistanis,Indians,Bangladeshisand depend onthem.’”Thecompanyemploys cater for60,000soldiersinIraq.‘We cannot 1,000 amimi Company…whichiscontractedto “‘Iraqis areasecuritythreat,’says So itwouldbeamistaketothinkthatthe Overall, thePentagonisemploying (Associated Press,10/15/03) PERCENTAGE OFIRAQISOUTWORK: TION ABOUTGOINGAWOL: NUMBER OFTHOSEREQUESTINGINFORMA- AUGUST: RIGHTS HOTLINEHASRECEIVEDSINCE INCREASE INNUMBEROFCALLSTHEGI IRAQ: NUMBER OFACTIVE-DUTYU.S.TROOPSIN EXPOSURES: FROM SERVICE-RELATED INJURIESOR GULF WAR WHOWENTONTODIE NUMBER OFVETERANSTHEFIRST BATTLE DURINGTHEFIRSTGULFWAR: NUMBER OFU.S.SOLDERSKILLEDIN 336 NUMBER OFU.S.DEATHS ALTOGETHER: Financial Times (CNN, 10/17/03) 150,000 75% 8,013 (Bring ThemHomeNow, 10/9/03) revealed onOct.16 100 (ibid) 148 70% American-occupied GermanyandJapan. believers havestoppedcomparingIraqto Americains!” Eventheadministration’s true realization. political establishmenttocomethat dead –willittakefortheU.S.militaryand tion inIraqishowlong–andmany a peopletoresistanoccupation.Theques- to endurethepaincouldn’t matchthewillof it istravelingdownawell-wornpath. mosques, maymakesenseintheshortrunbut itary’s response,arresting clericsandraiding GIs andShiitesinrecentweeks.TheU.S.mil- deadly gunbattleshavingoccurredbetween opposition isstartingtocoalesce,withtwo ous politicalandreligiousfactions,armed humiliating withdrawalin2000. intensity conflictthatresultedinIsrael’s ing totheriseofHezbollahandalow- over time,Israelitacticsalienatedthem,lead- ence amongthelarge Shiitepopulation.But there waslittleoutrighthostilitytoitspres- paign. WhenIsraelinvadedLebanonin1982 find themselvesrepeatingtheLebanoncam- shoot outthantotalkout. armed factionsfindtheirdifferenceseasierto gle: yearsofbloodycivilwarastheheavily also revisittheaftermathofAfghanstrug- invaders. Theymaywellsucceed. Islamic unifyingforcetokickouttheAmerican Jihadis wanttheIraqconflicttocatalyzeapan- to replicatetheSoviet-AfghanistanWar. Ellsberg toldtheAssociatedPress. Congress into“signingablankcheck,” did Bush’s liesaboutSaddamHusseinpush involvement inVietnam 40yearsago,sotoo forever, nomatterhowunpopularitgets.” stale, hopelessoccupation”that“couldgoon calls thesituationinIraq“likeVietnam: a then theanalogybecomesmoreapt. its own,withArabstatescowedbyU.S.might. Soviets andChinese;theIraqiresistanceison movement receivedstatesupportfromthe died todateinIraq.TheVietnamese liberation cent ofthattotal,barely340Americans,has Americans diedinVietnam; lessthanoneper- are significantdifferences.Some58,000 surfacing withincreasingfrequency. Butthere In alltheseconflicts,theoccupier’s ability In Iraq,whiletheShiitesaresplitintovari- Israelis alsocautionthatU.S.forcesmay As fortheIraqiresistance,manywouldlike Just aspresidentialliesspurredU.S. Former PentagonanalystDanielEllsberg Y Comparisons totheVietnam War arealso et ifwethinkofVietnam asaprocess, THAT COULDBEBUILT: ADDITIONAL AFFORDABLE HOUSINGUNITS 1,092,882 SPENT ONTHEWAR ANDOCCUPATION: WHO COULDBEHIREDWITHTHEAMOUNT NUMBER OFADDITIONALSCHOOLTEACHERS HALLIBURTON: $ AMOUNT OFARMYCONTRACTTO AGAINST BUSH’SWISHES: GRANT INTOALOANAT THELASTMINUTE AMOUNT THAT WAS TURNEDFROMA OCCUPATION INOCTOBER: CONGRESS GRANTEDBUSHTOFUNDTHE AMOUNT OFADDITIONALMONEYU.S. $4 billion EACH MONTHONTHEOCCUPATION: HOW MUCHTHEUNITEDSTATES SPENDS (Forbes, 7/15/03) (costofwar.com) 7 billion 819,664 (CNN Money, 4/18/03) $20 billion 50% (ibid) ANDREW STERN/INDYMEDIA THE INDYPENDENT OCTOBER 25 – NOVEMBER 11, 2003 3 Army Stars and sent three teams of reporters to newspaper has become a soapbox – Anonymous Sgt., 4th Infantry Division. Infantry Brigade, stationed at BCT’s HQ. AFF pc. Anthony Castillo, Third Infantry Divison. T ith the growth of the Internet, soldiers no months for let- longer have to wait weeks or fromters to wend their way to and the front , has been forced to pay attention. It notes –S Army Times : “Please send our troops home.” – Anonymous Sgt., 2nd Battle Combat Team, 3rd – Anonymous Sgt., 2nd Battle Combat Team, IMC S Even the Pentagon’s official organ, Stars and Stripes The A number of letter writers have criticized officers The Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported “What are we getting into here? The war is supposed more“We’re angry at the generals who are making Comments from boots on the ground the are post- has collected The website traveling-soldier.org The aces in my list. “I’ve got my own ‘Most Wanted’ GIs SPEAK OUT Y imes eceiving an email from a soldier in Iraq complaining T Stripes that of 200 letters it printed between June and September 2003 from troops Iraq and Kuwait, in about 60 percent “complained about various things, ranging from living conditions and problems with mail to redeployment dates back home.” for discontented troops. First Lt. Eric Rahman, writing from Kuwait, states that “quality of life is Camp Doha, One wife of a national guardsman at an all-time low.” deployed in Baghdad pleaded in a letter to the Iraq to interview the troops and published a seven- day-long series of dispatches. They also conducted a survey of nearly 2,000 troops about living conditions. One report observed, “Some troops live like princes, while others sleep in the sand.” who are rotating home while their troops remain in Iraq. One formerthe same stupid GI writes, “This is policy we had in Vietnam.” A frequent complaint is a lack of or poor-quality equipment. One sergeant writing from Germany states, “About 95 percent of my unit uses money out of his own pocket for special gear because basic issue doesn’t meet our expectations.” r that while the troops hobos and live like “‘look like pigs’… those running Iraq are more concerned with ‘hooking up with nice-looking gals from U.S. and Iraq.’ He says for staff at the headquarters, their biggest problem is running out of Coke and Diet Coke to go with their steak and crab leg dinner.” to be over, but everyto be over, day we hear of another soldier get- ting killed. Is it worth it? Saddam isn’t in power anymore. The locals want us to leave. Why are still here?” we these decisions and who never hit the ground, and who don’t get shot at or have to look at the bloody bodies and the burnt-out bodies, and the dead babies and all that kinda stuff.” lines; they can just dash off an email. But what’s The good for the grunt for the commander. isn’t sauce flurry of soldiers’ electronic missives has opened the window to a military seething with discontent. Troops are angryin Iraq, angry at the pitiful living conditions at feeling abandoned, angry at being shot at, and most of all, angry at their superiors who are safely ensconced in luxury. ed and passed around on the Internet samizdat-style. They are warriors a counterbalance to the gung-ho handpicked by the brass to speak their unbridled enthusiasm for Operation Iraqi Freedom to the public. Following is a sample of what soldiers are saying. many comments. Donald Rumsfeld, Georgedeck are Paul Bremer, Bush, and Paul Wolfowitz.” B W “WHY ARE WE STILL HERE?”: “WHY ARE WE STILL Soldiers from the 129th Transportation Company take a break while hauling recreational equipment across Iraq for their superiors. SINK OR SWIM: ashington, D.C. Still, he acknowledges “I get all sorts of honks and waves of Adele Kubein, 50, writes letters con- “A lot of those guys had never prepared Nancy Lessin and Last November, get so many emails from people “We Richardson, 50, expects scores of very hard to believe that your “It’s to the freeways of Southern California to the freeways of Southern where passing motorists can read the yel- low chalk messages on all five windows of her Chevy Blazer. approval as I drive the freeways,” Huff says. “I had one woman approach me in ‘I the parking lot the other day and say, thought the war was over but I guess I was wrong’.” stantly to local newspapers and to her elected representatives. Her daughter joined the Oregon National Guard five years ago. She already had wildland fire- fighting experience and needed money to finish college. When Kubein asked her daughter if she was sure she wanted to never join, she replied, “Oh, Mom, there’s Now she finds going to be another war.” herself stationed in the northern city of Mosul where her unit comes under night- ly mortar and sniper fire. for something like this,” Kubein notes. “They were supposed to build roads and fight fires in Oregon, not be killing kids or getting shot at all the time.” Charley Richardson started Military Families Speak Out (MFSO— after their son was www.mfso.org) deployed to the Persian Gulf with the Marines. The Internet-based advocacy has since grown to more list serve group’s than a thousand members. who say ‘Thank God I found you because I thought I was the only person connect- ed with the military who felt like this’,” Richardson says. MFSO members to turn out for a massive Oct. 25 anti-war mobilization in W dissent among military families remains the exception not the rule. way for no good loved one is in harm’s easier psy- reason,” Richardson says. “It’s chologically to believe in the war.” COURTESY OF REP. DENNIS MOORE’S OFFICE COURTESY OF REP. Kimberly Huff of Huff’s one-woman campaign extends “I don’t want people to forget about want people to forget “I don’t Huff’s response: she wears T-shirts that Huff’s response: she wears T-shirts “I think the first reaction of most peo- Kimberly Huff, 32, is one of the leaders “In war there are no winners, only vic- Fernando Suarez del Solar of Other military family members are also At home, Roath tried to explain the “Extending arduous tours of duty in “Extending arduous tours of FRUSTRATION: Fullerton, CA waits for her husband Roger to return from the Iraq war our troops,” says Huff, who will mark her 29. second wedding anniversary on Nov. “They’re still over there. And they need to come home.” say, “My husband is a political prisoner in say, army” and regularly speaks out at Bush’s local anti-war rallies. ple is to obey,” Huff says. ple is to obey,” of the 437th Medical Company’s Family of the 437th Medical Company’s Readiness Group (FRG), which helps mil- itary families cope with the day-to-day stress of deployment. Military officials monthly get- usually attend the FRG’s togethers. They admonish family mem- bers not to talk about the war with the press lest they “compromise the mission.” tims, “ he says. “They [the troops] are the first victims of this crime.” Escondido, California, started Fundación Guerrero Azteca this spring after the Marines refused to pay the full burial costs for his son Jesús, who was killed by an unexploded cluster bomb one week Guerrero Azteca assists into the war. other Spanish-speaking families with burial costs and with psychological coun- seling. Suarez has since traveled to Baghdad and spoken before Congress as a passionate critic of the war. raising their voices. situation to her five children. “They cried under- They don’t and they were angry. stand why the military and our president lied to them.” the middle of a deployment demon- strates not only poor planning, but a complete disregard for the families of service members who are already making tremendous personal and financial sacri- fices,” a former Navy recruiter wrote on 129bringthemhome.com. Masters of voted for Bush in 2000,

. “But as more reserves get ARLETON

T

ebbie Roath’s husband Jeffrey was husband ebbie Roath’s activated by the Army Reserves in January and was sent to the HOME FRONT

OHN J Roath, 40, who Buzzanko notes that President Lyndon The Bush administration crossed that Members of Congress were besieged “Our husbands’ and our soldiers’ lives As the United States first long-term “I think it has a tremendous impact in “It (the military families movement) is ar: Military Dissent and Politics in the ietnam becomes bloodier and more

Y MILITARY RAISE HELL FAMILIES ietnam Era Middle East in April. While she has stayed home in Marshall, Missouri, to raise their five children, he has helped the Company haul golf 129th Transportation carts, motor boats and SUVs (as well as dan- M1-70 Abrams tanks) across Iraq’s gerous highways. called in and more soldiers get killed, it serious.” It’s can only grow. Johnson repeatedly refused to call up the War reserves at the height of the Vietnam for fear of the social disruption it would the Pentagon set in cause. After Vietnam, place a political tripwire by reconfiguring its forces so that it would be impossible to carry out a military occupation without numbers of quickly resorting to large reserves to carry out day-to-day tasks – engineering, policing, medical support, transportation, public relations and civil administration. threshold in mid-September when it announced that 20,000 reserves currently stationed in Iraq and Kuwait would have their overseas deployment extended from six months to 12 and that their total mobilization could be extended to a full 24 months. with complaints from across the country. online peti- 129bringthemhome.com’s tion drive received 8,000 signatures overnight. The military brass openly speculated there would be a mass exodus of Guard and Reserve troops at the end of their current deployments. is now one of the leaders in a highly vocal online campaign to bring her husband’s unit home. she says. “And I are being put in danger,” see any reason for that except greed.” don’t occupation of another country since V chaotic, military family members like Roath are beginning to raise their voices in the belief that supporting the troops ultimately means ending the war. how the anti-war movement is received by public and Congress,” says Ben Chitty Against the War. Veterans of Vietnam “Family members and returning vets pro- vide political credibility.” adds Professor relatively small right now,” Robert Buzzanko, author of W V

B D 4 OCTOBER 25 – NOVEMBER 11, 2003 THE INDYPENDENT to lessentheironerousburdengainnewfollowers. misery. Itoldlabor theirsufferingwasover, butdidnaught lion womenandchildrenofftherollsintosqualor fall. Ipreachedhelpingwelfarerecipientsbutpitched2mil- I spokeofraisingfuelefficiencystandards,andwatchedthem ised theemuch,butflip-floppedlikeagreatseabeastonland. grievous swarmofRepublicans. ing. Mostlamentably, IdeliveredourtempleofCongresstoa devastation. Mybetrayaladdedtothemillionswithnoheal- with thewickedInsuranceCompanies,bringingdefeatand cried, “NationalHealthCare.”Again,Isinnedandbedded Ask, Don’t Tell.” (Anddon’t askmeaboutLaniGuinier.) rificed mygayandlesbianfollowersuponthealtarof“Don’t ed asyourHighPriest.IwascravenbeforethePentagonsac- deliver TheConfessionsofSaintBill. with wickedness.Ihavesinnedagainstyouandvisitto ful call“TheClintonYears.” not exaltmenoryearnformydaysamongyouthatthefaith- worships onlythefalseidolMammon. been thybread,fedbythewickedhandsofKingDub-yawho “We cannotlosethepeaceinIraq.” DEAN strategy?’ Theexitstrategy isvictory.” “People keepasking, ‘What’stheexit KERRY I saidwouldprotectHIV-positive immigrants, butcon- I failed,myfortitudewaslacking,spiritweak. I said,“Beholdjobsprograms!”butmyhandswereempty. But thiswasjustthebeginningofmysinfulways.Iprom- I camepreachingthegospelofhealing,andmultitudes My transgressionsweremultipleevenbeforeIwasinaugurat- Forsooth, Ideserveonlyyourcurses,formyheartisheavy But doyoureyesbearthemarkofmisty-eyednostalgia?Do The Confessions bitter ichorofRepublicanpolicies.Torment has years youhavewanderedthedesert,drinking Come untome,mylostDemocraticflock.Forthree of St. Bill T B T and bringthetroops home? Notquite. Isn’t hebravelystandingup toendthewar up “internationalization.” who’s aBush-styleunilateralist,havetaken Democratic candidates,exceptLieberman way towintheBushWars. Allofthemajor war whileinfactarguing foramoreeffective Democratic strategyofseemingtoopposethe to doitforus? oil whenwecouldjustgetTurkish conscripts countries intotaketheburden.” “we” dothis?Americaneeds“tobringother as fastpossible,”Kerryargues. Howdo have totakethetarget offofAmericantroops spirit ofRichard“PeaceWith Honor”Nixon. has sincetakentochannelingthehellbound war inIraq.HimselfaVietnam veteran,Kerry presidential candidateJohnKerryaboutthe The exitstrategyisvictory,” saidDemocratic Not adrop. opposition. Loyal?To thecore.Opposition? ary arenowsolidlyRepublican. California –theWhiteHouseandjudici- Democratic bastionsasNewYork and of governorships–includingsuch ment. BothhousesofCongress,themajority H A PARTY WAR THE EORT AELF,RNRIGHT FAKE LEFT, RUN DEMOCRATS imes Y Despite beingadarling of But whataboutpeacenikHowardDean? “Internationalization” hasbecomethe Good idea!WhyshouldAmericansdiefor “We havetode-Americanizethiswar, we “People keepaskingaboutanexitstrategy. Despite this,theDemocratsstillaren’t an ELECTIONS J ED for hisNortheastern roots andlackof pushed outofeverybranchgovern- party; theyhavebeeneffectively he Democratsaren’t justaminority B RANDT Africa. IdestroyedapharmaceuticalfactoryinSudan.killed criminal leaderssanctuary. deeds. IletdeathsquadsslaughtertheHaitians,thengave the serpent’s policyof“InternationalBi-Partisanship.” the secretOrderofEstablishmentandpledgedtouphold Republicans. the “Tech Bubble.” greatest Ponzischemeinhistoryorwhatthewizardsname deliver adeathblowtotheGlass-SteagalAct,allowing gave themediauntorichestfew. Iskulkedinthenightto avarice andmalice.IboretheTelecommunications Actthat your patience. win thecoveted“GeneralElection,”butthenIwouldreward long. IcounseledhadtoassumetheguiseofRepublicans increase from1millionto2million. Death Penalty, War onDrugs.Myreignsawthoseinchains thing withit.IrecitedtheversesofTough onCrime,Pro- of developers. within, insteadIdeliveredthemuntomultitudinoustribes preserve thepasturesandforestswaterscreatures Freedom ofChoiceactbutneverfoughtforit.Isaidwould tinued theirpersecution.Ispokemightywordsfora My sinsweremultipliedahundredfoldinalreadysorrowful I wanderedtofar-off landsandcommittedthewickedestof But thereareevengreatersinsofwhichtospeak.Ijoined Do notbeshockedmyfriends.You knew thisallalong. I, SaintBill,gavethegovernmenttorich.Not Instead, theonlyonesIrewardedwerethoseofendless I havehiddenmyshamebehindDickMorris’pollstoo I preachedFreeTrade. IworshipedWall Street. I wastoocovetousofmypoliticalcapitaltoeverdoany- The NewYork Korea andAl-Qaeda at hometodoit.This ignored thegreaterdanger inIranandNorth Iraq. Thissituationwas createdbyBush,who can’t dothat.We cannotlosethepeace in clearly wantandjustleave,Deansaid,“We the UnitedStatesshoulddowhatIraqis even moreAmericantroops.Whenasked if nations supportthiswarornot. command, whethercitizensofmember cover andgetthemtofightunderAmerican enlist theUnitedNationstoprovidepolitical their helpthere.” that theywillnowagreewithusweneed allies, onthewayintoIraq,andhopethat back totheverypeoplehehumiliated,our Iraq, thispresidentisgoingtohavego that inordertogettheU.N.andNATO into American command,andit’s verycleartome can haveAmericantroopsservingunder under U.N.command,”Deansays.“Butwe well? Notquite. as EgyptandMorocco,”saysDean. Arabic-speaking troopsfromouralliessuch ably withMuslimtroops,particularly the UnitedNations,withNATO, andprefer- We our partner. We cannotdothisbyourselves. should notgointoIraqwithouttheU.N.as sonable facadetohisembraceofempire. pugnacious rhetoric,Deanhasfosteredarea- ports theoccupationofIraq.With clever, reform whilegovernorofVermont andsup- cutions, championedClintonianwelfare redneck charm,Deanisbullishonstateexe- Dean hasevenhintedthatIraqmayneed In otherwords,theUnitedStatesneedsto “We cannothaveAmericantroopsserving So he’s supportinginternationalizationas “I believedfromthebeginningthatwe

have toareconstructionofIraqwith the IndonesiansseektheirvengeanceonEastTimor. machetes. IfashionedPlanColombia.bombedSerbia.let shamefully, Iabandoned1millionin Rwanda toaplagueof thousands ina“humanitarianmission”toSomalia.Most would continuemyshamefulways. treacherous KingDub-yathatyoudonotfollowanotherwho ask thatinyourrighteousdesiretocastouttheperfidiousand once exaltedleader. Iraqi childrenwhodiedfromsanctionsenforcedbyme,your I asknotyourforgiveness, forIhavenoshame.Instead, I havetoanswerfortheirsoulsaswellthehalf-million to usisafarcryfrom speakingforus. boys, Clintontotherest ofus.Butspeaking different vocabulary. Bushtalkstothe cow- nent standingarmy. conflict bycreatingAmerica’s firstperma- W back totheWorld War I,whenWoodrow Hiroshima aDemocraticatrocity. We cango tory. Vietnam wasaDemocratic war. until wecrackapeekintothehorrorsofhis- Rivera, theReviscomingtotown!) capture OsamabinLaden.(LookoutGeraldo er, promisedtopersonallyleadthecrusade even ifnooneseemstocare.Hehas,howev- right, it’s “internationalization”again. direction weshouldbegoingin.”That’s Kind of. Peace andwanttoendthewar?Well, sure. Doesn’t KucinichsupportaDepartmentof he holdingtheworking-man’s banner? think wehavetosupportourtroops.” did notsupportthewarinbeginning,I of allthepresident’s taxcuts.EventhoughI choice, butithastobefinancedbygettingrid occupation, Deanthrewdown,“We haveno support Bush’s $87billionrequestfor the debate inNewYork Citywhetherhe would without reservation. occupation, however, hesupportsloudly invaded thewrongcountry. TheAfghanistan was amistake,thiswar.” What theDemocrats offerinspadesisa It’s easytoblameClinton’s DLCclones The Rev. AlSharptonhasopposedthewar, “I thinkSenatorKerrydescribedwellthe But holdup!WhataboutKucinich?Isn’t How’s thatforpopulism? When askedattheDemocraticcandidate’s That’s right.DeanthinkstheUnitedStates ilson brokehispledgetostayoutofthe – AK THE INDYPENDENT OCTOBER 25 – NOVEMBER 11, 2003 5 [email protected] AFF T IMC S Diebold Election Systems, Inc., manufacturer of electronic voting sys- The leaked memos indicate Diebold has been careless (or worse) According to the Electronic Frontier Policy Foundation, the Online While other targets of the letter have complied, much of the infor- Questions about the integrity of Diebold's systems have not gone a recent study performedMoreover, by computer security tests done on the According to Bev Harris, author of Black Box Voting, The 3 major manufacturers of the voting computers—Diebold, For more information, please see and www.blackboxvoting.org www.indymedia.org/display.php3?article_id=356465&group=webcast REPUBLIK Y ecord or hardcopy to be used with any electronic voting system. esearchers at Johns Hopkins University determined that AccuVote B tems which have recently been shown to have major security problems, to silence has begun using the 1998 Digital Millennium Copyright Act memos. online critics who have posted links to leaked company Dozens of Internet service providers complied with cease- (ISPs) have to take down and-desist letters sent out by the company that asks ISPs client pages that link to the memos. about test runs, accuracy audits and security for its voting machines. Group to have been the only ISP that has refused (OPG), appears to comply with the notice. OPG is a nonprofit that donates Internet serv- ices to San Francisco Indymedia. The Electronic Frontier Foundation which has stepped in to defend OPG and Indymedia against Diebold, asserts that the material is "Diebold Property . . .being publicly dis- that “jour- played . . . without Diebold's consent." Indymedia believes of these nalists and the public have a right to evaluate the legitimacy memos and their import on the security of our democratic process.” subtler targets such as peer-to- mation has been posted to smaller, sites such as Scoop.co.nz have also posted the peer networks. Web material. Baldwin (D-Wisc.) has signed on to a unnoticed. Representative Tammy house resolution 2239, which would require a voter-verified permanent r Diebold systems produce no such recordCurrently, for either the voter or for the polling staff to verify the accuracy of the votes cast. r machines are vulnerable to hackers, multiple votes and vote-switching. systems are regular desktop computers runningThe AccuVote-TS Microsoft Windows, which by its nature increases the system's vulner- But the problems only begin there. ability. software originally downloadable from showed the Diebold’s website existence of numerous backdoors in the vote counting system that enables those with access to manipulate the tabulation of results in real time as they are coming in, without any trace that they were ever there. Systems—all Election Systems & Software (ES&S) and Sequoia Voting have Republican Party O'Dell, Diebold CEO and top Bush links. Wally has publicly committed himself to "delivering" his home fundraiser, state of Ohio to Bush in 2004. Part of the agreement the companies insist on before selling to any state is the right for the seller to tally votes. This eliminates state electoral commissions as one of the fun- damental safeguards of the voting system. DIEBOLD TRIES TO MUZZLE VOTE FRAUD CRITICS Zip

all Street’s wish list for a second Bush term is said to wish list for a second Bush term all Street’s rsued directly benefit the wealthiest one percent,” argues The Bush campaign’s strategy is clear. With an unpopu- With strategy is clear. The Bush campaign’s “The tax policies that the Bush Administration has That the system is broken is undeniable. Aaron calls Many big donors are also the wealthiest Americans. At Another 49 Rangers and Pioneers are identified as W Part of this monetary outpouring is in return for the Part of this monetary outpouring very small and very wealthy portion of society.” very small and very wealthy portion of society.” lar war and stagnant economy, the Republicans’ only hope is lar war and stagnant economy, to bury the Democratic nominee under a blizzard of attack been be the first time it’s ads and dirty tricks. It wouldn’t tried – or succeeded. pu Aaron. “The folks who can write those $1,000 checks are a the $200 million fundraising goal a “lowball” estimate, saying the Bush campaign is “raising it at double that rate.” But once the general campaign starts in will go back into the public financing “Bush September, system and get something like $74 million.” These include money from the Republican Party totals don’t and outside spending by advocacy groups. least 12 Rangers and Pioneers were listed in 2002 as being not hard to among Forbes 400 richest Americans. It’s the repeal of understand why the rich support Bush: there’s the estate tax, as well as the massive tax cuts skewed to the top tier. lawyers and lobbyists and represent professional influ- ence peddlers whose “job is to have access,” says Aaron. companies are also big supporters. Insurance and energy Bush pushed through the terrorism insurance bill, which essentially has the federal government assume the role traditionally held by reinsurance companies, and he has relentlessly pushed “tort reform” that would benefit insurance companies at the expense of consumers by lim- iting class-action suits and imposing monetary caps. include deterring “further regulation of hedge funds, include deterring “further regulation highly profitable tax- derivatives trading and arcane, the retirement and pen- avoidance schemes... remodeling to stockbrokers, lim- sion systems to drive more business privatizing ultimately, iting class-action lawsuits and, Social Security.” cuts in estate, dividend and capital gains taxes that ben- cuts in estate, dividend and capital of hundreds of millions of efit these tycoons to the tune the first step in a push dollars. These cuts “are just income tax- free,” notes toward making all investment Public Citizen. Kravis, founding partner of Kohlberg, Kravis, Roberts. Kravis, founding partner of Kohlberg, “mixes the spirit of Check enclosed ❒ The Indypendent Don’t miss an issue – subscribe today! Don’t UMAR K

ewsflash! The rich favor Bush over all the other ewsflash! The rich favor Bush going to no one’s presidential candidates. Okay, are mostly million- be surprised that his backers

Bill me ANJAY

all Street has taken the lead as Bush’s biggest all Street has taken the lead as Bush’s rtually every sector of corporate America is giving S eam and send to: NY New York, 34 East 29th St., 2nd Floor, Or for even faster service 10016. email your City State E-MailSubscription rate: $27/year (23 issues). Angel rate: Make checks payable to the NYC IMC Print $100/year. T address to [email protected] and we will begin your subscription right away! Phone Name Address WHEN BUSH COMES TO SHOVE... WHERE DO YOU TURN FOR NEWS? Naomi Klein says direct action with a searing critique of corporate Drawing upon the global network of Indymedia power.” Centers, we let people speak for themselves – from the streets of Baghdad to the jungles of Colombia, the shanty- We towns of South Africa to the villages of East Timor. Street reign of look at those resisting the Pentagon and Wall from the fight at home for housing, quality education terror, and civil liberties to the broader struggle against corporate globalization. ❒ As of Oct. 15, 2003, Bush’s 2004 campaign reported 2004 campaign As of Oct. 15, 2003, Bush’s Vi The money is given for quid pro quos from the White calls Congress Watch Craig Aaron of Public Citizen’s W – E. Street titans Their roster is weighted with Wall Y ork, John Mack, CEO of Credit Suisse First Boston, ynch, Henry M. Paulson, Jr., chair of Goldman Sachs, ynch, Henry M. Paulson, Jr., B

aires and Fortune 500 companies. It’s also no secret that also It’s aires and Fortune 500 companies. to raise $200 goal is the 2004 Bush/Cheney campaign’s National Convention next million prior to the Republican far surpass). But the August (an amount it will probably in place makes a mockery fundraising juggernaut Bush has is openly based on a cycle of of campaign finance laws and the rich in return for lucra- soliciting contributions from and more paybacks. tive paybacks for future contributions to the Federal Election Commission that it had raised $84.5 million. Seventy-four percent of that comes from 29,788 donors who gave at least $2,000 – a greater per- centage than any of the nine Democrats running for pres- ident. In contrast Howard Dean, who is the leading Democratic fundraiser at $25.3 million, gets only 13 per- cent of his take from such mega-donors. far more to Bush and the Republicans than the Democrats. And most of that money is funneled through – network of super-fundraisers the Bush campaign’s Pioneers and Rangers – that includes many of the wealthiest Americans and captains of industry. House in the form of trillion-dollar tax cuts, elimination corporate subsidies, relaxed pension- of overtime pay, fund rules, looser federal regulation, or outright gifts, such as mineral and timber rights on public lands. the influence of corporations in campaign financing “per- vasive.” He says, “Corporations are spending millions of dollars on trying to influence elections. The return on their investment pales in comparison to what they put in.” 285 individuals identified as Rangers, Of the backer. or who bundle $200,000 in contributions to qualify, Pioneers, who must raise $100,000, 56 are from the finance industry. CEO and president of Merrill Stanley O’Neal, chair, L Thomas A. Renyi, chair and CEO of the Bank of New Y James E. Cayne, chair and CEO of Bear Stearns, Henry FOR A ONE-PARTY STATE THE BUSH PUSH THE MONEY MACHINE: N 6 OCTOBER 25 – NOVEMBER 11, 2003 THE INDYPENDENT & HERRINGS RED T T to tants, notless,according availabletoanti-U.S. mili- weapons more theIraqwaractuallymade For starters, tive invasionbecauseofIraqimassgraves. Americans didnotcountenanceapre-emp- andwastiedtoal-Qaeda, mass destruction sistently claimedthatIraqhadweaponsof war becauseBushandhishenchmencon- case. thepro-war less conducivetoproving even that are beyond itintootherareas and occupationthispoint,wecanmove way. oftheinvasion Bygrantingproponents thewarwasadisasterany- “better off,” are Iraqisreally thatordinary argument and gaggingIraqidissidentsastheyseefit. qualms aboutshuttingdownnewspapers Authorityseemtohaveno Provisional oftheCoalition andtherest Bremmer andPaul threat, underincreasing are da under thealliedoccupation.Religiousfun- meaningfully Iraq lifehasn’timproved iscompellingevidencethatlifein There and thenquicklychangethesubject. ofterror American complicityinhisreign r on Hussein’smiserablehumanrights fact inanymeaningfulway. Whenpressed tograpplewiththis war haven’tstarted Perlepolicybriefing. place ataRichard andotherswouldn’tbeoutof Ignatieff by The kindofsentimentexpressed vatives onhumanrightsisfading–fast. the humanrightsof26millionIraqis?” Iraqi people–whatismostlikelytoimprove forthe issue iswhatwouldbethebestresult asked intheOct.19 inBaghdadorSaddamHussein?”he Bremer Iraqi invasion.“Would tohave youprefer thewar,before enoughtojustifythe were nuanced argument. asm, butbeyondhimwhenitcomesto enthusi- Christopher Hitchensinpro-war onlyslightlybehind alist MichaelIgnatieff, out tojustifyacontinuingU.S.occupation. trotted are ing Iraq.Thistime,thearguments forinvad- do-liberal humanitarianarguments thepseu- itregurgitates Neoconservative,” Headlined “WhatItTakes toBeaNeo- everyday Americans. everyday thesecurityof that actuallydecreases ornot, invasion, forhumanitarian reasons to justifyapre-emptive that it’sdifficult war. Theleftshouldn’tbeafraidtoargue theIraq before less safethantheywere least marginally, itsoperatingcapability.” power andmoraleand,at Qaeda’s recruiting al- among Muslimsandthusincreased inflamedradicalpassions war “hasprobably r InstituteforStrategicStudies International The the Iraqwarismakinguslesssecure. Iraq. andmedicineacross in research ofradioactivematerials used for hundreds unable toaccount are chaos, IAEAofficials theworld. for airtravelaround W inthehandsofanti- of thesemissilesare Iraq border, possiblethatsome it’sentirely missiles.Giventheporous anti-aircraft fired numberofshoulder- unable tolocatealarge an B ecently issued a report concludingthatthe ecently issuedareport ecord, they usually remind listenersabout theyusuallyremind ecord, imes Y estern militants, compromising security militants,compromising estern How do Bush’s prewar claimsstackup? How doBush’sprewar the mostAmericanssupported In short: withIgnatieff’s But evenifweagree Let’s pushthematterevenfurther. left-wingopponentsofthe Unfortunately, The dividebetweenliberalsandconser- argued Human rightsalone,Ignatieff The authorwasscholarandneo-imperi- The bottom line? Americans are now The bottomline?Americansare tobelievethat reason alsoevery There’s Even worse,becauseofthepost-war mentalism isontherise,women’srights C Oct. 19 HRIS UA RIGHTS HUMAN conservatives comes in the form of comesintheform conservatives ideological gapbetweenliberaland he latestevidenceoftheshrinking . It reports that U.S. forces inIraqare thatU.S.forces . Itreports A NDERSON New York Times T imes . “Formethekey h NewYork The article. I rights. Infact,thatappears tobeitsoneof core, destructiveofcivil rightsandhuman And theBushadministration’s politicsis,atthe Cubans inMiamialreadythere. tion toCubansinCubawinthevotesof Florida in2004.He’s countingonthisinvita- the reasonwhy. Bushneedsdesperatelytowin ate astheIraqisarenow. Ofcourse,weknow so thattheCubanslefttherewillbeasdesper- get here,anddowhatitcantodestabilizeCuba to trygetalltheCubansherewhowant to makes youaterrorist,too. tration’s Alice-in-Wonderland world,that a fanofCubanmusic–well,intheadminis- it down.SobeingafriendtoCubanpeopleor pulled overtothesideofroadandwrote Cuba was“moneylaunderingforterrorists.” ecution onthegroundsthattakingmoneyto Cuba, threateningtouristswithcriminalpros- ing newrestrictionsonAmericansvisiting Whether that now beplanningournextwarinCuba. noon, drivinghome,IheardthatBushmay written Fridaymorning.Foronafter- there –andtheanswerisprobablynothing. wonders whatthehellwearedoingdown ical andmentalhealtharedeteriorating.One mit suicide,repeatedly, whileprisoners’ phys- from theRedCross.Menaretryingtocom- Guantanamo, u citizens. That’s thelastweheardfrom ing, beggedBushnottoexecuteanyBritish his wholesalecommitmenttoBush’s warwan- more ofthosewereBritishsubjects. death penalty. Butitturnedoutthatoneor prosecution and,ofcourse,theywerefacingthe oners weretargeted tobetheguineapigsfor charge oftryingsomethemen.Severalpris- that PaulWolfowitz wasplanningtobein charges beingplacedagainstthem. with littleaccesstofamily, andwithoutany itary baseatGuantanamo,withoutattorneys, have beenheldincagesontheAmericanmil- captured inAfghanistantwoyearsago.They 650 ormoreprisoners,someofthemjuveniles, Bush administration’s continueddetentionof International RedCross’s condemnationof the B Y ALS RSNR NABAKHOLE BLACK A IN PRISONERS HAPLESS So itisallaboutpolitics. Politicsasusual. So theBushadministrationis,Iguess,going I swearthatiswhathesaid.Because It’s justaswellIdidnotgetthearticle T Before thewarinIraqfellapart,weheard GUANTANAMO H IGAETA IS THAT DISGRACE THE morning, Oct.10.Ihadreadaboutthe ation inGuantanamoBay, CubaonFriday started towriteaboutthedisgracefulsitu- E ony Blairsteppedinand,withsupportfor LAINE C ASSEL materializes ornot,hewasplac- ntil this week when we heard we when ntil thisweek administration is,at its core,acruel,hateful any ofthisexceptface thefactthatBush cowboy andget“somebody” for9-11. Afghanistan whenBushwantedtoactlike a except tohavebeenonthestreets of been showntohavedoneanythingwrong – some say, ofupwards700menwhohavenot over thewholesalemistreatment,eventorture, ries Florida.Byhookorcrook. Cuban lobbyinFloridawillseethatBushcar- for himandhisbrother. Inthemeantime, as soontheycan,becomecitizensandvote up theshoresofFloridatoCubanswhowill, subtle aterm,wehaveGeorge Bushopening not themselvesbeenshowntobeterrorists. themselves. Allthis,whentheprisonershave those whotrytohelpthemlookliketerrorists It can’t dothat,soittrumpsupcharges tomake human beingsortreatingprisonershumanely. them withthecrimeofkindnesstofellow and having“maps”oftheircells. computers intendedforprisoners’families, baklava toprisoners,havinge-mailsontheir crimes sofarhavebeenenumeratedasserving least oneofthemcharged withtreason.Their have beenlockedupinmilitaryprisons,at chaplain andatleasttwooftheirtranslators were incensedatthelieofit? be thetruth?Howmany, likeme,heard itand many listenershearditandassumedto question himabouthisstatement.How death now. Sadly, theinterviewerdidnot brought totrial,inpublic,andbeawaiting September 11theywouldhavebeen they wereevenremotelyconnectedto what hesaid!What?You canbesure if September 11attacks.Honestly, that is oners thatway. Afterall,theycaused the night boastthat“we”hadtotreatthepris- going toreadit? ty thinksofus?It’s irrelevant?We arenot don’t care whattheinternationalcommuni- does thatmean?We justdon’t listentoit?We ple inGuantanamo.Rejectsit.Whattheheck Red Crossaboutthehorribletreatmentofpeo- that thePresident“rejects”reportof who makesAriFleischerlooklikeagenius,said McClellan, theWhiteHousepresssecretary civil rights. has alreadydoneadamnfinejobofdestroying main agendas–destructionofhumanrights.It I guessthereisnothing wecandoabout At thesametime,wehaveBushpresiding So, inanadministrationwhereironyistoo If thegovernmentcould,itwouldcharge As fortheprisonersofGuantanamo,their Then IheardanattorneyonNPRFriday At hispressbriefingyesterday, Scott cowboy andget“somebody”for9-11. when ofAfghanistan been onthestreets excepttohave done anythingwrong who havenotbeenshownto some say, of700men ofupwards eventorture, wholesale mistreatment, >> We overthe haveBushpresiding or theother. Sociopathsdothat. Bush will,Ifear, getwhathewants–oneway with totaldisregardfortherightsofothers. sense ofentitlement,hatredallbutself,and ing inempathy, self-absorbed,actswitha psychological terms,itissociopathic–lack- and meanbullyofagovernment.To put itin on CounterPunch.org. W decency havetodowith anythinganymore? plea. Afterall,whatdofairness,justice,and leader and“refusetoaccept”Korematsu’s Doubtless, theSupremeCourtwillfollow its liberty havetherighttoafairhearing. fundamental principlethatthosedeprived of cuted forchallengingtheorder. locked up,andevenfinerthathewasprose- said itwasjustfinethatheorderedtobe internment order. TheSupremeCourtthen ed, andimprisonedforchallengingthe some yearsago.Hewasprosecuted,convict- Japanese internmentcampinCalifornia60 Japanese descentwhorefusedtoentera Fred Korematsu,anAmericancitizenof file afriendofthecourtbriefintheirbehalf: of Guantanamocomesavoicefromthepastto make somesenseafterall. guess, inasickandtwistedway, thatdoes declared themtobeoutsideofthelaw. I of war, andU.S.law, andnowwehave them (andus)frominternationallaw, thelaws “enemy combatants”soastotryexempt a U.S.militarybase,classifiedthemas catch-22. We arrestedthem,broughtthemto ers arenotonAmericansoil.How’s thatfor a courts hadnojurisdictionbecausetheprison- ers. Thelowercourtsagreedthatthefederal hearing thepleasofGuantanamoprison- ruling thatforeclosesfederalcourtsfrom been askedtoreviewafederalappealscourt ashington, D.C.Thisarticle originallyappeared Elaine Casselpractices lawinVirginia and In hisbriefhebegsthecourttorespect For thehaplessprisonersinblackhole In themeantime,SupremeCourthas Bush wantedtoactlikea THE INDYPENDENT OCTOBER 25 – NOVEMBER 11, 2003 7 made were among ar Times W ARTIN M IMOTHY Union for providing research for this report. Special thanks to the American Civil Liberties The climate of hysteria – think ‘freedomThe climate of hysteria – think F. T • In February, federal authorities arrest- police • At a mall in upstate New York, • On March 20, 17 anti-war protesters at • In April, police in Oakland fired rubber • Two publishers of Any doubts to this fact were eliminated With Attorney General John Ashcroft • Police arrested hundreds of demon- cently embarking on a whistle stop tour pro- n the wake of 9-11, more arrests, harass- ment and other repressiveagainst tactics community activists are apparent. While Y orist investigation, and further target groups ASHCROFT ON PUTS HOOVER’S DRAG hundreds of individuals placed on a secret list by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). Both right- and left-wing activists have criticized the TSA-administered effort, and in August were successful in getting Washington to acknowledge the existence of the secret list, which is entirely separate from the 1,000-per- son “no fly” list also maintained by the TSA. every effort to thwart the protest; by first denying their right to march, then by strate- gically blocking streets and making hun- dreds of arrests. Officials illegally coerced arrestees into providing private information that was subsequently entered into a police database, in clear violation of their constitutionally protected rights. ed a Kuwaiti-born computer science pro- Sami Al-Arian, charging him with fessor, fundraising and organizing for a Palestinian militant group. his trial While in jail awaiting in 2005, Al-Arian contends prison officials are opening his mail outside his presence and not allowing him adequate time to dis- cuss his case with lawyers. arrested Stephen Downs, a 61-year-old for refusing to remove a T-shirtlawyer, he bought while shopping there that read, “Give Peace a Chance” and “Peace on Earth.” the University of New Mexico were tear- gassed and beaten with batons as they were taken into custody. bullets, tear gas and wooden pellets at long- shoremen and demonstrators who had gath- ered to protest in support of dockworkers. Witnesses claimed police used excessive force. Several people sustained injuries. civil libertarians are clamoring for rights lost Act, the with the passage of the USA PATRIOT Bush administration has arrogantly pushed for an expansion of its investigatory powers. Chicks – com- fries’ and a ban on the Dixie bined with repression,has created a situation that futurehistorians will likely compare to the I, the Red War Palmer Raids following World Scare of the 1950s, and J. Edgar Hoover’s COINTELPRO program of the 1960s. after Justice Department plans were leaked to the Center for Public Integrity back in February. Among its more egregious stipula- tions, the Domestic Security Enhancement Act, dubbed Patriot Act 2, will allow the gov- ernment obtain credit to and library records without a warrant, eliminate the requirement that government officials disclose the identi- ty of any American citizen detained in a ter- r and individuals engaged in civil disobedience through wiretapping, asset seizure and/or the stripping of citizenship rights. re moting these repressive tactics, along with a president the shamelessly willing to invoke second anniversary of a national tragedy to shore up support for Patriot 2, it’s hardly sur- prising that a growing list of activists are feel- ing the heat. A few examples: City during massive strators in New York anti-war protests last Feb. 15. The city B I Security coercing employees. alMart hurts local economies in other It signifies that there will be no political or It signifies that peace activists and critics Bush W. It signifies that President George It signifies that the emotional atmosphere It signifies that the moment of 1945 at the alMart stores are mostly located, commu- alMart with driving smaller competitors out alMart with driving smaller competitors While the UFCW primarily concerns itself While the UFCW primarily All across small-town America, where W According to John Sweeney, president of the According to John Sweeney, Jane Sims agrees. The pain and betrayal she should WalMart According to the UFCW, Now is the time to start planning local for world affairs. It signifies that the U.N. has independ- been eliminated as an organization ent in any sense of the U.S. and the West. economic reform of the U.N. Such reforms have been called for repeatedly and reiterated The this year in the General Assembly. to include Germany Council may be enlarged and Japan as permanent members, but that will be it. of U.S. policy will have a more difficult time gaining attention, stating their case, being taken seriously. will be reinstalled in the White House next year. in which everyone is living will become more feverish and frantic, more unpleasant and threatening. II, in which the U.N. War end of World charter proclaimed that the U.N. would endeavor to maintain international peace and That era of hope is past. is over. security, There is no peace. Labor Relations Board filed more than forty Labor Relations Board filed of illegal prac- complaints accusing WalMart threat- tices, including firing union supporters, ening bonuses, spying, and also charges with wages and benefits, the union W According to of business and causing job loss. the union, “three existing jobs are destroyed for every two jobs created at Walmart.” W nity businesses have been forced to shut which purchasing power, down. WalMart’s equals 56 percent of the entire retail industry, enables it to buy and sell its products at lower rates than competitors. Small businesses just compete. can’t ways. Many small-town merchants deposit their holdings in local banks. Their deposits, and interest from deposits, usually stay with- in the community through loans or other on the other local investments. WalMart, hand, deposits its holdings in out-of-state banks, keeping it from circulating in the local economy. is a corporate outlaw.” AFL-CIO, “WalMart death cannot be felt after her husband’s equated or mathematically formulated. She have her husband back. But something can’t can be done. be held accountable for its actions, which is why the union has called a National Day of Jan. Action against the retailer Wednesday, 14, 2004. activities educating consumers and employees anti-union policies. alike about Wal-Mart’s It was an ignoble policy full of significance The Council withheld its approval of a res- Opposition to that policy, it turns out, was Opposition to that policy, Approval of the resolution revealed how the The resolution received the endorsement of alMart underpaid its employees by $150 From 1998 through 2000 the National In a class action lawsuit in Texas, on behalf In a class action lawsuit in Texas, According to the union, WalMart was sued According to the union, WalMart But that’s not all. Former WalMart not But that’s In WalMart, on the other hand, nearly half In WalMart, As one of the largest unions in the country, As one of the largest Also according to the report, the average Also according to the report, olution that would have specifically author- ized the U.S. to go to war against Iraq, but subsequently passed six resolutions backing the U.S. and the war – on March 28, April 24, Oct. 16. May 22, July 3, Aug. 14, and finally, more apparent than real. In the end, France, Russia and China went along with Germany, the United States. U.S. carried out a well-orchestrated and coor- dinated policy at the United Nations during It was a duplicitous, deceptive the past year. carefully screened from view and never policy, fully apparent, never articulated in the press. U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan who said he would do his “utmost” to implement its provisions. tries of the region, particularly neighbors of Iraq, in this regard.” It is possible that under that paragraph the United States and Britain might carry out future “anti-terrorist” actions against Syria and Iran. of 200,000 current and former WalMart employees, statisticians estimate that W period. In a Colorado million over a four-year paid $50 million to 69,000 lawsuit WalMart former and current employees for forced unpaid overtime. 4,851 times in 2000, “about once every two And Walmart hours, every day of the year.” faces 38 state and federal lawsuits, in 30 states, accusing the company of forced overtime. employees have sued the retail giant for forced unpaid overtime. Many more are suing because of discrimination. And hundreds of over promotion women are suing WalMart and pay inequality. of all employees earn poverty wages. Thirty five percent have no retirement plan, and 1.4 million associates, 700,000, of WalMart’s have no healthcare. the UFCW has won living wages, better health and vacation packages, and standard- ized grievance procedures for its members, ensuring employees a voice in their workplace In national shopping centers and job security. UFCW where like Shnucks and Dierbergs, represents employees, living wages, retire- ment and healthcare plans are the norm. wage in retail shopping centers for union wage in retail shopping centers average wage members is $10.35, while the by a union is for workers not represented $7.62. have pension coverage [and] twice as likely to have pension coverage [and] than employ- have health insurance coverage” union. represented by a ees who aren’t ANETH P

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P alMart employee in Plainview, ALMART ALMART cross the country, WalMart is cashing WalMart cross the country, Sims, a in on family tragedies. Doug W

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alMart, the largest retailer in the world, alMart, the largest for the first quarter of sales alMart’s D T The resolution provided everything that the In the future, operative paragraph 19 of prevent It calls upon member states: “To alMart, like many other major corporations, alMart currently maintains around 350,000 alMart not only makes money off of dead W According to the United Food and According to a 2002 Institute for Women’s When Doug was hired, WalMart purchased When Doug was hired, WalMart W DEAD SOULS Y Y exas, died of a heart attack in 1998. After exas, died of a heart attack

‘DEAD PEASANTS’ ‘DEAD W OFF RICH GETS UNITED NATIONS, N.Y.—The unani- N.Y.—The UNITED NATIONS, mous adoption October 16, 2003 of United Nations Security Council resolution 1511 (2003) on Iraq successfully concluded more war and occupation than a year of diplomacy, by the United States and United Kingdom. U.S. and U.K. wanted – the authorization by the Security Council of a multinational force for Iraq under U.S. command; an appeal to U.N. member states and international finan- cial institutions for contributions of money; and reaffirmation of the “responsibilities” of the Coalition Provisional Authority in Iraq. the resolution may be interpreted to provide “cover” for the spread of the Bush adminis- strategic plans to remake the tration’s Middle East. the transit of terrorists to Iraq, arms for ter- rorists, and financing that would support ter- rorists, and emphasizes the importance of strengthening the cooperation of the coun- B employing over 1.4 million “associates” in 3,400 shopping centers, earns $130 billion in yearly sales revenue. The colossus controls more wealth than 90 percent of the countries across the globe. 2003 were $56.7 billion. While $64,000 seem like a lot when compared to doesn’t such staggering numbers, the betrayal felt by the families involved has no price tag. Union (UFCW), Commercial Workers W employees; it also makes profits off the backs of its living “associates.” On average, WalMart associates are paid $3 less per hour than employees in unionized shopping centers. Policy Research report “union-represented workers in supermarkets earn thirty-one per- cent more than their non-union counter- parts... are two-and-a-half times as likely to T death, his wife Jane Sims found out Doug’s meant when they exactly what WalMart described their employees as “valuable assets.” a $64,000 life insurance plan on him. W routinely purchases policies on its employees – without consent – and then cashes in, tax- free, on the value of the life insurance when the practice is the employee dies. Technically, called “Dead Peasant” insurance. And W “Dead Peasant” insurance policies. B

A U.N. RESOLUTION IS ITS EPITAPH 10 OCTOBER 25 – NOVEMBER 11, 2003 THE INDYPENDENT T AND BLOOD INEQUALITY COLOMBIA: B of us and ten more willfightback.” of usandtenmore in theworld–summed upintheslogan,“Killone amongthebravest people surely Colombians are displacement anddisappearance.Victimized uparound Newcommunitiesgrow fighting poverty. unions underattackbecomesocialmovements Tradeallow thebondsofsocietytobebroken. to Colombians refuse assault,ordinary the frontal thensodocourageand hope.Despite ety here, been killedthanguerrillas. communityandsocial leadershave many more but thecountry, andviolencethroughout ures overseen ahugewaveofraids,securitymeas- has TheU.S.-backedgovernment – theguerrillas. drain thewater–civiliansandkillfish strategy: menting aU.S.-stylecounterinsurgency thecity’spoorneighborhoods. its waytowards outourconversationasitmade helicopter drowned teachers inMedellín,aU.S.-suppliedBlackhawk a waragainstthepoor.” WhileIwastalkingwith “Thepeaceoftherichis wall inMedellíndeclare: ona designed toinconveniencetherich.Graffiti wasaconsciouslychosenoption their poverty thrive. crops richsoilwhere ofincredibly a country ton onemillion from increased havealready imports materials, laborandmarkets.Colombia’sfood ofcheapraw solidify LatinAmericaasasource singlemarketand theworld’slargest create Tradeto theFree oftheAmericas,whichwill Area labeled aterrorist. lawed, inwhichanyonewhoquestionsauthorityis isbeingout- inwhichprotest Colombia isacountry havealsobeenvictimized. area live inthewrong whohappento trade unionist,orjustsmallfarmers of lawyers,priests,students,anyform progressive then killedbyparamilitaries. of-factly howherhusbandwaskidnappedand Shedescribedmatter- have alsobeentargeted. ing” operationsandhertwoteenagedaughters la –meaningthatsheisbeingsetupfor“cleans- past 15years.Sheisaccusedofbeingaguerril- ofBogotáhasbeenpersecutedforthe skirts ofthesecurityforces. strength the military thenationaldebtandincreasing into payingoff r biggest amounts ofmoney–Colombiaisthethird Meanwhile,increasing lackshealthcare. citizenry outsidetheeducationalsystemandhalfof are lessthan$40amonth,3.5millionchildren earn oftheland,13millionColombians 58 percent most desirable resources, notably oilandgold. most desirableresources, rich.” Colombiapossesses16oftheworld’s22 sopoorbecauseColombiais “Colombians are assassination attempt,sumsupthesituation: ofan man WilsonBorja,wholimpsasaresult atthehandsofparamilitaries. have “disappeared” of out95percent andauthoritiescarry forces armed right-wingmilitiaslinkedtothe Extreme areas. impossibleinmany 2003, havemadeorganizing of sinations sin est democracies.” office. workinabomb-proof tostart order r autom jeep surrounded ecipient of U.S. military aidintheworld–is ecipient ofU.S.military oom equipped with electronic steelgatesin oom equippedwithelectronic Y But if fear and terror stretch tothebaseofsoci- stretch But iffearandterror appearstobeimple- The Colombianmilitary asif treated The poormajorityinColombiaare Uribeisdesperatetosignon Alvaro President T One teacherwhoworksinaschoolontheout- Y tradeunionleaderandnowCongress- Former hasbeenkilledevery One teacherorlecturer This isColombia,oneofLatinAmerica’s“old- these abuses.Inthepastfiveyears5,000people gle weekinColombiathisyear. 27assas- From N s in1990toeightmilliontonstoday–this eachers and lecturers are not the only targets – nottheonlytargets are eachers andlecturers et just over one percent ofthepopulationowns et justoveronepercent For the full report gotocolombiajournal.org. For thefullreport ICK offices byclimbingoutofabulletproof offices trade unionleaderscanonlyaccesstheir where fewcountriesonearth are here atic weapons and walking through ametal atic weaponsandwalkingthrough D EARDEN teachers, up from 27in1999to83 teachers, upfrom by bodyguards holdingsemi- by bodyguards poured A B proven unabletofulfilltheirpromisesofprotectionwomenand international communityandtheinterimadministrationhave cernible improvementintheirlives. military interventioninAfghanistan,therehasbeenlittledis- to Afghanistanfindfewprospectsandlittlemeansofsupport. among women,manyofwhomareformerrefugeeswhoreturned of globalopiumproduction. grower ofpoppy–currentlyaccountingforalmostthree-quarters Afghanistan hasregaineditsformernotorietyastheworld’s largest of domesticpoppyproduction.Sincetheregime’s overthrow more lucrativecrop–poppies. been forcedtoabandonfoodproductionandreturngrowinga U.S.-led militaryactiontwoyearsago,manyAfghanfarmershave water. Havingtodealalsowithenvironmental damagecausedby crops, leavingmuchofthecountrywithoutenoughfoodorpotable Davis atarecentnewsconferenceinKabul. themselves inAfghanistan,wekillthem,”saidspokesmanRodney of theheightenedactivity. “Wheneverthey[theTaliban] manifest ern provinces,wherelastweekalonesome80militantswerekilled. used toferryfuelcoalitionforces. and earlierthismonthbeheadedtwoAfghanisonapetroltruck ment officesintheSouth,targeted andkilledforeignaidworkers, the reconstructioneffort,Taliban fighters haveattackedgovern- sonnel. InanefforttounderminetheU.S.-backedgovernmentand have contributedtoscoresofattacksonmilitaryandcivilianper- 26 millioncitizensarestillalongwayfromfavorable. AFGHANISTAN: Y According toarecentreportbyAmnestyInternational,the While theplightofAfghanwomanwasoftenusedtolegitimate Attendant druguseamongAfghanshasskyrocketed,especially One ofthebyproductsTaliban rule wastheneareradication To The U.S.militaryhasbeenquicktodownplaythesignificance The bloodshedalsoincludesheavyfactionalfightinginthenorth- Increasingly boldassaultsbyTaliban andal-Qaedainsurgents C

A make mattersworse,anunprecedenteddroughthasdestroyed TRIONA for internationalsoldiers,reliefworkersandthecountry’s istan forthethirdtimesinceU.S.invasion,conditions s thecoldnightsofwinterbegintodescenduponAfghan- S TEWART I B on thehornofAfrica. TheDjiboutibaseis Special Forcestroops in Djibouti,acountry access todifferentparts ofAfrica. fields andbasesthatwillgivetroopsinstant negotiate theconstructionofstripdownair- Senegal andUganda.Therearealsoplans to Algeria andpossiblerefuellingagreements in include long-termaccesstobasesinMaliand bases acrossthecontinent.Thesewould U.S. wasnegotiatingtoinstallseveralmilitary commander ofU.S.Europeanforces,saidthe AFRICA: Y Currently, there are1,500marineand presence inAfrica.GeneralJamesJones, the UnitedStatesisexpandingitsmilitary n thenameoffightingglobalterrorism K H TE OCCUPATION OTHER THE AZEMBE B ULAGOON U.S not anoptioninAfghanistan,butitisstillpossible.” Coordinator, offersaguardedlypessimistic view, saying,“Failureis riage andrapebyarmedgroups. girls, leavingthemathighriskfordomesticviolence,forcedmar- T interim government.ISAFissponsoredbytheNorthAtlantic been limitedtosecuringKabulsincetheestablishmentof International SecurityAssistanceForce,knownasISAF, whichhas national developmentagenciesandreconstructionefforts. has fueledwidespreadinsecurity, curtailing theactivitiesofinter- Kabul, dominationbyregionalwarlordswithU.S.-backedmilitias education inruralareas.” ways thatareneithertooexpensivenorcomplicatedtoimprove Nadya, Paktika’s onlyfemaleschoolteacher. “Thereareverysimple ty whentheyclaimhavegiventopprioritytoeducation,”says shortage ofdoctorsandteachersasmajorobstaclesforhispeople. works, AliJalalistillseesaseverelackofdrinkingwaterand Commission andfurtherfundingfromtheUnitedStatesin tional 11.53millionEurosinhumanitarianaidfromtheEuropean to travelgreatdistancesoverunpavedroadsobtainhealthcare. ing theregion’s morethan2millionresidents withnooptionbut soon beforcedtocloseitsonlyhospitalduelackoffunds,leav- Mohammad AliJalali. their angerwillreachthegatesofKabul,”saidPaktika’s governor, tinue tosufferinthefaceofwhatisbecomingahumantragedy, Afghans knowhowcloselyfailurelooms. light forNATO toexpanditsmissionthroughoutAfghanistan. on howtheexpansionanddeploymentiscarriedout.” ior analystfortheInternationalCrisisGroupinKabul.“Itdepends reaty Organization. Humanitarian groupshavebeencallingfortheexpansionof Unfortunately, Paktikaprovinceisnotunique.Outsideof “I don’t agree withthegovernmentandinternationalcommuni- Despite reassurancesfromKabul,therecentapprovalofanaddi- Arguably Afghanistan’s mostneglectedprovince,Paktikamay “The peopleinthejirgas [councils]havewarnedthatiftheycon- In theisolatedandunstablesoutheasternprovinceofPaktika, W The UnitedNationsSecurityCouncilrecentlygavethegreen “Potentially, that’s verysignificant,”saysVikram Parekh,asen- illiam B.Taylor, Jr., theU.S.StateDepartment’s Afghanistan . ULSFRADBASES FORWARD BUILDS lion barrelsadayfrom West Africa. Currently theUnited States imports1.5mil- Africa thanfromRussia ortheCaucasus. the UnitedStateswill importmoreoilfrom Gordon, aseniorCIAofficial,predictsthat “strategic importance”toU.S.interest.David Africa’s mineralresourcesarebecomingof Liberia. Marines arestillsailingoffthecoast of withdrawal fromtheheadlines,1,800U.S. To naval baseintheoil-richcountryofSao “terrorist hotspots.” and Yemen, whichhavebeenreferredtoas within strikingdistanceofSudan,Somalia As conflictsrageintheMiddleEast, In 2002,theUnitedStatesestablisheda me intheGulfofGuinea.And,despitea THE INDYPENDENT October 25-November 11, 2003 11 “there is no weight to the Daily Yediot Aharonot, Daily Yediot SS E ALESTINE RISTEN K “When someone is constantly pushing on your head, you can’t “When someone is constantly areHe explains that Palestinians trying “to work on a strategy, rallied to the Palestinian cause on The U.N. General Assembly latest resolution.Israel was dismissive of the Israeli political U.N. Security Council voted to condemn the Earlier in October, is not The Palestinians know this, and know that being just Israel’s military has not ceased building illegal settlements or con- It’s all part of the Israeli government’s strategy of ethnic cleans- we A young woman in Bethlehem wonders, “What can we do when And then comes the Switzerland Agreement, about which Jamal An official Israeli statement explaining its October 20 attacks on Only two percent of Palestinians have engaged in armed resist- his eyes A Palestinian journalist in Jenin speaks earnestly, He goes on to talk about the new Prime Minister Ahmed Quria. He looks befuddled and bewildered. “For us, for the normal peo- someone the Israelis were will- After finding a new prime minister, The Jenin journalist laughs out loud, “Ahmed Quria still thinks Bank and Gaza Strip are closed, many towns remainThe West Y P UNDER SEIGE B always react to Israel. It’s like we’reWEST BANK, Palestine—”We always trying stop to appease them just in case it will make them head of an NGO in Ramallah. the occupation,” says the Palestinian Israelis don’t want us to think can’t look up. The look around. You strategy.” of anything, or to develop a to proactively completely build one with more people involved. We lack a strategy in everything. being just depend on our cause We assume that’s enough.” just. We Oct. 21 by passing a resolution called upon in a 144-4 vote that Israel to “stop and reverse the constructionthe of the wall in referringOccupied Palestinian Territory,” to it as “in contradiction to relevant provisions of international law.” sources told the U.N. General Assembly resolutionand it is possible for the General Assembly to take a resolution by consensus that they can drop the moon.” Israel’s attacks on Rafah, the closure wall and construction of resolu-600 new settlement units. The United States vetoed the tion. Of the 167 U.N. resolutions against the state of Israel, none have been implemented. By and large the international communi- ty has long since fallen into the “Israel as victim” quagmire. Israeli forcesenough to stop the Israeli military. In late October, bombed and rocketed residential neighborhoods in Gaza City killing more than a dozen and wounding scores more. Israeli bulldozers have been plowing through long-since devastated Rafah. Roughly 2,000 people there were made homeless in just three days. structing Bank. Midnight raids con- the “closure inside the West wall” tinue. Palestinians “wanted” (or not) are taken daily to Israeli prisons without charge or trial. Forced have been exile continues – 60 people “transferred” Bank to Gaza alone since March from 2002. the West these ing. How can Palestinians develop a political strategy under and conditions? The Palestinians have gone along with Oslos Camp Davids, with one-sided “cease-fires,” and the Road Map, only to find more refugee of nothing. A 23-year-old in the West are always just thinking to negotiate with Israel. If Bank said, “We the Israelis dismiss us from the negotiating table, we leave with- out anything and come back the next day to lose more.” pillaged go along with the Road Map and even this bad document gets “the Road Map had nothing to do she adds, by the Israelis? Anyway,” with us. It was an agreement U.S. and the Israelis.” between the Ashatti, head of the Refugees Committee in the Palestinian Legislative Council says, “At the same time we are facing the hard- est war with the Israelis from Jenin to Rafah and at the same time our situation is going from bad to worse, someone comes to us with a new agreement, one which gets rid of the Right of Return.” Gaza City mirrored posture the Bush administration’s of aggressive will do whatever it takes to root out the terrorists.”victim. “We ance against the Occupation during this Intifada, regardless of the fact that under international law an occupied people have the right to defend themselves. There isn’t even a searching, “There is no Palestinian strategy. strategy to lead the resistance.” Abu Ala is having his meeting to dis- “There is no strategy politically. that the Israelis cuss, to discuss what? Just to say what we know, have closed off all of Jerusalem. closed from It’s all Bethlehem to Ramallah. There are just settlements in between blocking everything, with the wall blocking more in the north. And what are we doing?” ple, for the Palestinian people, we are walking nowhere.” ing to speak to, and losing him because of his unwillingness to be bullied through the Road Map as Arafat was through Oslo, the Palestinian Authority has appointed Ahmed Quria. But the Israelis will is planning to hold elections in June. The PA not speak to him either. we’ll have elections? How could we even make it to the polls?” under curfew, the sound of F-16s fills the room.

AP PHOTO New . Felipe Quispe, one of the However the elite opposition has However the elite of Bush and the Organization The recent incidents were not the The millionaire who succeeds indigenous protesters As Bolivia’s enezuelan and the anti-Chavez ork Times “Chavistas.” Throughout the slums of “Chavistas.” Throughout formed Bolivarian Caracas, newly a populist organized Circles have on the paternal figure militia centered of the president. rumors Neither have not gone away. of U.S. involvement. Last February, the explosions ripped through Spanish and Columbian diplomatic Leaflets left at missions, injuring four. to be the scene claimed the bombing work of zealous Chavez supporters, work but many believe that it was the hoping of Chavez opponents instead, to create an international incident. American States have reiterated their support for recall elections, which Chavez rejects. His opponents 2.4 are trying to gather the needed to million signatures by December them, hold a vote. Unfortunately for Arnold Schwarzenegger is not V movement has fragmented in the continuing face of the President’s support among the lower classes. him as “El Gringo.” first time Bolivia has seen social unrest during Sanchez de Lozado’s 31 peo- administration. In February, ple were killed and 100 more injured after civilian protesters and striking police officers clashed with government troops over the now- plan to intro- deposed president’s duce a new income tax. Sanchez de Lozada barely escaped out of his presidential palace in an ambulance. him, Carlos Mesa, is a former jour- nalist and historian who already declared that he would create a spe- cial ministry for Indian affairs to address the protesters’ concerns. He is also calling for early elections and a special referendum to decide the fate of the controversial natural gas exportation project. return to their Andean villages and cities slowly life in the country’s returns to normal, distrust of the gov- three ernment runs high. “Within months, we will return to our ideolo- a resident of the industri- gy of fury,” al shantytown of El Alto told the Y main leaders of the movement that toppled Sanche de Lozada has also stated that Carlos Mesa has 90 days to reverse the free-market course charted by his predecessor or be overthrown. MINERS CELEBRATE THE RESIGNATION OF BOLIVIAN THE RESIGNATION MINERS CELEBRATE Chavez has retained a firm hold on A second attempt at shutting down Chavez is not a popular figure in Chavez is not a popular figure Key plotters had given the White Key plotters had ashington. His friendship with Fidel ashington. His friendship with A US-educated and US-backed Bolivia’s poor indigenous majori- Bolivia’s Farmers, students, labor unions, enezuela’s status as the third biggest enezuela’s power since the coup, largely through power since the coup, largely intense loyalty among the poor and lower working class, known as the oil industry took place at the the oil industry took place beginning of 2003. While damaging the strikers failed to oust the economy, man- Chavez, who fired over 18,000 agers in the national oil company, cleaned house and installed loyalists in key positions. W terror” Castro, criticism of the “war on mar- and persistent stand against free with mix well ket policies don’t V oil supplier to the United States. House a heads-up about the April House a heads-up according to coup as early as February, had Newsweek, and dissident officers visited U.S. officials even earlier. fully supported by industry bosses fully supported their own oil wells. who shut down received $150,000 The CTV had fund. from an AFL-CIO PEOPLE POWER: PRESIDENT GONZALO SANCHEZ DE LOZADA. millionaire, Sanchez de Lozada served as president from 1993 to 1997 and was elected for a second term in August 2002, despite win- ning only 22.5 percent of the popu- lar vote. Part of his unpopularity arose from his use of an American- accented version of Spanish, a reason many Bolivians derisively refer to ty was already upset by the govern- reforms and free-market ment’s U.S.-backed plans to eradicate coca, which locals chew to stave off Coca farmers used to be hunger. financially compensated for replac- ing coca plants with legal crops, but under intense pressure from the U.S.-led “war on drugs,” Sanchez de predecessor decided to Lozada’s eliminate payments to the farmers. Curbing coca production is required for Bolivia to receive financial aid from donors like the International Bank. Monetary Fund and World community groups and other gov- ernment opponents escalated their protests, calling for Sanchez de resignation. Human rights Lozada’s groups reported that up to 70 peo- ple died since the protests began in mid-September. LNG is a consortium made up of British Gas, British Petroleum and Repsol-YPF. Spain’s THE THAT COUP NEVER ENDS PROTESTERS BRING DOWN PRESIDENT RADSKY H OGAN

H enezuela’s been in for a hard enezuela’s Chavez was ride since Hugo president in first elected

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ANESSA A V In April of 2002, Chavez survived a The coup was brewed by On Saturday, October 18, after a On Saturday, demonstrations ever In the largest recently discov- Southern Bolivia’s Lead by Evo Morales, head of the govern- Still, Sanchez de Lozada’s enezuelan Workers (CTV), but enezuelan Workers Y Y 1999. Since then, the country has 1999. Since then, by rocked been in a “civil cold war,” of anonymous bombings, a mutiny short- the national elite and one lived coup. lead by a right-wing military coup Chamber of the head of Venezuela’s only Commerce. It collapsed after massive three days in the face of a citizens movement by Venezuelan pop- and soldiers in support of the ulist leader. light-skinned elite discon- wealthy, attempts to tented with Chavez’s substantial redistribute the nation’s to oil wealth. They had been trying foment a national crisis to remove Chavez. This culminated in a gener- officially al strike in the oil industry, launched by the Confederation of V

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VENEZUELA: BOLIVIA: month of social unrest, Bolivian President Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada finally gave in to protesters’ boisterous demands for his resigna- Constitution, tion. Under Bolivia’s President, Carlos Mesa, was his Vice appointed as the new President. seen in the tiny landlocked country, tens of thousands of protesters – most of them indigenous Aymara Indians – blocked major roads and took over the capital, La Paz, infuri- deci- ated about Sanchez de Lozada’s sion to build a pipeline through Chile to the Pacific Ocean to export billions of dollars worth of natural gas to the United States and Mexico. ered natural gas reserves are equiva- lent to about 5 billion barrels of petroleum, which several foreign corporations and governments are eager to exploit. Both Chile and Peru offered to have a pipeline built through their territory for Bolivia, which has been landlocked since access to the Chile annexed Bolivia’s Pacific after the war of 1879-1884. Running the pipeline through Peru was estimated to cost Bolivia some $500 million more than building it through Chile, which most Bolivians were strongly opposed to because of animosity between the two nations that has lingered since the 1879 war. Many Bolivians blame Chile for impoverishing their nation by deny- ing them access to the Pacific. main opposition party Movement to Socialism (MAS), protesters decried their natural gas being handed over to a foreign consortium, stating that it should instead be used domesti- cally to help boost the Bolivian economy and fuel some 250,000 homes before being exported. ment, pressured by Pacific LNG – which won the contract to develop the gas – stated that the pipeline would go through Chile. Pacific B 12 OCT.OBER 25-NOV.EMBER 11, 2003 THE INDYPENDENT W FREVOLUTION OF THEATER THE BEYOND ed fromanyworking-class movementinpartbecauseof intellectual youthand olderradicalintellectualsseparat- ary focustheoryofChé andRegisDebrayofthatperiod. from alienation,theexuberanceofyouthor revolution- as muchfromthehistoricaldiscontinuityin theleftas major militaryresearcharmforthewaron Vietnam. university’s tieswithStanfordResearchInstitute,a folks, SDSledanoverwhelmingvotethat severedthe the studentgovernment,facultyalliesand community ence, thestudentswerenolessmilitant.Working with erendum aheadanywayandlost. ter breakingintwo.Thesmallergrouppushedtheref- not beinganti-imperialistenough.Thisledtothechap- referendum onuniversitycomplicitywiththewaras forced andwonadebateopposingproposedstudent University ofMichigan,whereSDSwasborn.RYM I the Family, movement. isolation thattheWeathermen intensifiedwithinthe or membership. al meetingofanorganization withnoformalstructure ence ofRYM I,whichwasabletodominatethenation- grate itselfintotheworkingclassbutlackedcoher- ment theirarmeddefenseoftheBlackcommunity. tion andsetup“serve-the-people”programstocomple- ated thissamedistancetheyimmediatelychangeddirec- see thisproblem. ing withcommunities,butRYM Iwastooalienatedto munity politicalstruggles.Itwastheoppositeofwork- against governmentcrimes,usuallyunattachedtocom- action.” Thiswasanabstractcallfordramaticaction turist thinking,whichwastermed“takingexemplary would galvanizetheseverymassestheydisrespected. V nothing tofightbackagainstU.Simperialism’s crimesin egy.” Theirreasoningwasthataverage folk“weredoing trashing governmentbuildingsasa“revolutionarystrat- film, pushingmassviolentconfrontationwithpoliceand major voteatanationalSDSconferenceasdepictedinthe was pacifist. against imperialismandultimatelycapitalism.Neither positions. Bothgroupssawthemselvesasfighting then calledtheRevolutionaryYouth Movement IandII this question.Two groupsgalvanizedaroundwhatwas same debaterecurredandsplitotherorganizations. lating themselvesunderground intheseventies, mental issue.AfterWeather memberssucceedediniso- anarchist movements,whothinkthedebateisafunda- if any, rootsintheworkingclasses. Jaffe wellpointsout,thedebateoverviolencehasfew, W tion movement. effort towardacoherentanti-capitalist,anti-globaliza- highlights aconstantlyrecurringtheme,distractingthe violence asstrategyproblematic. thousands ofactivistsfoundtheWeathermen’s focuson others wereprominentstudentleadersintheirday, discussion. ThoughMarkRudd,BernadineDohrnand HISTORY. RADICALMOVEMENTSAREFACED WITHSTARK OF CHOICESANDARECALCITRANTSYSTEM MATTER A ISN’TJUST WEATHER OVER DEBATE THE UNDERGROUND, WEATHER THE IN THEOCT. IN 1ISSUEOFTHEINDYPENDENT, NAOMIJAFFESHAREDTHELESSONSSHELEARNED B ietnam andelsewhere.”Theyargued theiractions Y The term“NewLeft” arose amongpoliticallyrootless The “violenceasideologyandstrategy”debacle derives At StanfordUniversity, whereRYM Ihadlittleinflu- Robert Meeropol,inhismovingmemoir Some SDSchaptersneverrecoveredfromthesenseof Many activistswantedthestudentmovementtointe- When thePanthersrealizedthattheirmilitancycre- At timesotheryoungactivistsalsofellpreytoadven- R The Weathermen fomentedamajorsplitinSDSon T Jaffe andthedocumentaryfilmreiterate The debateoverviolenceversusnonviolencealso MOVEMENT eathermen’s fixationonviolentconfrontation. Yet, as M oday therearesomeyoungpeople,particularlyin YM I,theforerunnerofWeathermen, wona ILTON article, “AftertheStorm,”addslittleto learning fromthepast,IthinkNaomiJaffe’s hile applaudingIndymedia’s interestin describes theimpactonchapterat S NIPE Execution in NTEWAHRUNDERGROUND WEATHER THE IN TIME HER ON JAFFE NAOMI W those whoinsistuponviolenceasastrategy, asthe V prisons, tothestreetsFredHamptoninhisbed. the peopleareviolence’s firstandlastvictims, fromthe working classtowardcreatingitsownstrategy. importance ofstrategyorseekingawaytoorientthe recognized theimportanceofthesegoals,letalone revealing truthandachievingreconciliation. long-term survival,winningpower, assuring equality, ical goalstotheiradherents,suchascoherenceand standing ofhowtoachievetheirgoals.Theyclarifycrit- needs andrealities,whiletryingtodevelopanunder- just. King, Jr. acceptedthattheVietnamese resistancewas ings bytheAfricanNationalCongress.MartinLuther ernment offeroffreedomifhewouldcondemnbomb- tactics. Whileinprison,NelsonMandelarefusedagov- quent ragingagainstsymbolsofpower. pacifism isnotanideologyofviolence,noragrandilo- violence versusnon-violence,thoughtheoppositeof base amongworkingAmericans. wash theirhandsoftheParty, leaving themwithouta its betrayalofradicalizedyouthledyoungactiviststo a generationearlierandwasrootedintheworkingclass, and resistancedoomedboththeCPNewLeft. anti-war movementinaperiodofgrowingpublicanger tinuity, theParty’s opportunisticefforttomoderatethe underground, whichcutitofffrommuchofitswork. Amendment, andthedisastroustakingofParty McCarthyism actively, relyinginsteadontheFifth leadership. Finally, therewastheParty’s failuretofight known asfractions,madeiteasiertodecapitatemilitant solve thePartyorganization withintradeunions, ed postswithinthegovernment.Theagreementtodis- Roosevelt administrationafterCPintellectualsaccept- not sobad.Thencameunqualifiedsupportforthe America asevidencethatGermanfascismwassuddenly pact in1939,whichtheCPmisguidedlypresentedto leadership’s betrayalsoftheforties,fiftiesandsixties. the opportunismandcronyisminCommunistParty iolence isforceduponusagainstourwill.Asaresult V Despite theirintelligence,theWeathermen never Successful movementslookatspecificcircumstances, But endsandmeansareasintertwinedstrategy Rudderless, sixtiesmilitantsargued thestrawmanof Despite thefactthatCPhadamillionmembers But ifthatwasnotenoughtobreakthechainofleftcon- Why? FirstcametheHitler-Stalin non-aggression Milton SnipewasastudentatStanford duringthesixties. eathermen did,willalwaysfindthemselvesisolated. EXCERPT the past500years, andcertainly isn’t goingto that people’s resistancehasnotstoppedfor dous upsurge ofpeople’s power. Itwas clear w ofpeople’story resistancemovements. We seeing thestrengthandpotentialforvic- istheoptimismthatcomesfrom The first thatIthinkmayUnderground berelevant. tive, fromtheexperience ofthe Weather radical movements ofthe1960’s and70’s? movement today, fromtheexperience ofthe ananti-racistpeaceandjustice to building to the Weather is,what Underground isuseful ful, we’re notpaying closeenoughattention. ing attention.ButIalsothinkifwe’re nothope- attention. Ifyou’re you’re notterrified, notpay- y raged, you’re notpaying attention. Today, if home –areeven worse today thanthey were then. repressionat against othercountriesandruthless war –brutal go underground thatimpelledusto The horrors tomake arevolution.trying revolution. Someofusarestill movie; we setouttomake a unjust system. resistance isarealthreattoan that isevidence thatpeople’s energy they putintodoing movements oftoday. The eventhen, but more,the and demonizenotonly thosemovements back ofthe60’story and70’s, totrivialize, ridicule T B FE H STORM THE AFTER iolence isnotachoicewe,thepeople,make;instead, ou’re you’re notgrief-stricken, notpaying Y ere really lucky tolive throughatremen- There aresomelessons,positive andnega- To stickerAn oldbumper says ifyou’re notout- We MOVEMENT N

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me, theinterestingquestioninrelation didn’t setouttomake a corporate media to try torewrite mediatotry thehis- corporate hasbeenanoccasionforthe mentary he recent Weather docu- Underground J AFFE ETE UNDERGROUND WEATHER THE OF SENSE MAKING power ofcapitalism,imperialismandracism? ment thatcansuccessfully challengetheglobal the 60’s and70’s? How canwe amove- build we bu color? IsMarxism-Leninismstillrelevant to wh activists inthewake ofthemovie: How can w accountability topeopleofcolor. Ithinkthis organization withvanguard aspirationsandno something elsealtogether. We hadanall-white ership ofpeoplecolor. Ourpracticewas clear standonwhite supremacy andthelead- statementstookastrongand Underground againstinjustice.Our struggle Weather globally, andsaw peopleofcolorleadingthe oppression andexploitation areorganized lot ofpeoplesaw white supremacy astheway central. The 60’s and70’s were atimewhen a oppression. Racismandwhite supremacy are movements isoppositiontoevery kindof as oneofourmostseriousmistakes. ilding aglobaljusticemovement? What do Some ofthequestionsasked usby young

ite activists beaccountable topeople of W list ofWeather fugitives. foundation ofthestrengthpeople’s the streetsagainstIraqwar lastFebruary. of peopleallover theworld poured outinto Navy outof Vieques! And tensofmillions th year, victories. continue tobeimportant This stop now. Someday itisgoingtowin. learn aboutviolenceandnonviolencelearn from ANTED! A secondrelevant lessonisthatthe Even now, moment,there inthisgrim e people of Puerto Ricothrewe peopleofPuerto the Jaffe’s mugshot from theFBI’s mugshotfrom Jaffe’s foundly influencedby Marxist-Leninistwrit- imperialism; andmy generationwas pro- men. ButLeninwrotepowerfully about because MarxandLeninwere bothEuropean oppressed nationsandpeopleoftheworld. our understandingoftheleadingrole focused revolutionaries; anditstrengthened serious study;ithelpedusbedisciplinedand think itwas usefulinthreeways: itledusto respect, today’s movements areway ahead.I as allcentralismandnodemocracy. Inthis endedupinpractice structure Centralist party ofaLeninistDemocratic our interpretation wayimportant thatitwas anobstaclewas that wa texts where white peoplearenotdominant. contradiction toworking inmulti-racialcon- of peoplecolorwhere itexists; thisisnotin the minority. theseparateorganizing Support placestobein respect; don’t find intervene; enize; putoneselfinsituationsofmutual contact. Desegregate one’s life;don’t tok- say. There isnosubstituteforactualhuman talk withpeopleofcolorandhearwhat they accountability is,ifyou areawhite person, negative, mightbehelpful. place today. Butsomelessons,positive and the system,we’d different allbeinavery same forme.Ifwe knew how tooverthrow fi nd out,I’ll letyou know, andyou dothe This may soundlike acontradiction Marxism-Leninism was usefulinsome The simplestanswer tothequestionof The answer tothelastquestionis,when I ys andanobstacleinotherways. The most lence, let’s lookatitfromtwo perspectives, lenge thatfailing. of color, didalotinthe70’s and80’s tochal- od. Feminists, includinglesbiansandwomen other revolutionary organizations ofthatperi- practice, ofthe Weather Underground, andof and ofMarxist-Leninisttheory critical failing w DuBois, HoChiMinh,Cheandothers. Yes, ers ofcolor–Mao,C.L.R.James, W.E.B. Brian Flanagan in the high-profile underground. Brian Flanaganinthehigh-profile and times. Above,Weather Dohrn spokeswomanBernadine CHIC: RADICAL omen aremissingfromthelist–thiswas a As forthequestionofviolenceandnon-vio- Sexy andcrazy, Weather oftheir wasaproduct Many ofthemilitanttacticsusedinthatperi- ferent thanthey were inthe60’s and‘70’s. wh y I feelstrongly obligated tosay totoday’s our worldto rebuild inabetterway. passion andhumanitythatwillbenecessary we to stemthegenocide.ButIwould want to to considerafullrangeofresponsesintrying ounger activists thattheconditionsunder F igh every actonthescaleofdeepcom- ich movements operatetoday dif- arevery rom apracticalandtacticalpointofview, violence onpeopleofcolor, inflicting daily deathand wh whi personally didinthepast. caution andhumilitythanI approach withmuchgreater another matter, which Iwould ple. Riskingpeople’s lives is being carefulnottoinjurepeo- whileimperialist buildings, didtoafewUnderground the damage Weather of that,noway for amIsorry bybeing buried it.Intheface ing genocidalviolenceand only thechoicebetween resist- present intheircommunities– lence andnonviolence isnot todecidebetweenluxury vio- of coloroftenpointoutthatthe violence intheworld. Activists andoverwhelmingdefining U. geting ofpeoplecolorinthe economy itstar- –inparticular government, and military level, theviolenceofU.S. moral andtactical.Ona S. andglobally –arethe I stillfeelchallenged, asa ich white peopleare avoid lethalactions. to theWeatherdates. Theshockofthiseventinspired Underground andtheir wasadancefor non-commissionedofficers intended target explodedprematurely. Their constructing when thebombtheywere Villagetownhouse killedina1970explosionatGreenwich were EXPLOSION: VILLAGE te personinaworld in we isn’trepression andsurveillance limiting.But courageous nonviolent ones. f and creative tacticsarecalledfor, andarein bols we targeted inthe70’s. New, imaginative tobombtheimperialistsym- in 2003totry od areimpossible today. Itwould besuicidal we next one. We allnow have tomake thepathas generation didn’t leave moreofapathforthe thatmying andresisting.Iamdeeply sorry tice oforganizing, movement protest- building, ure itoutandgetrightistheday today prac- them,theonlysions canundermine way tofig- gles, andhow badly racismandotheroppres- someprivilege. risks andtosacrifice and we arecalledupontouseit,take some conquest. We stillhave alotofroomtomove, ex most ghastly repression,includingslavery, have survived andbeeneffective underthe more worthwhile thanliving your lifeforit. glimpse it,andIstillbelieve thatthere’s nothing wo ofapeople’spart movement forjustice. Another strength, andinspirationcancomefrombeing Attica, you getasenseofhow muchcourage, and David who isdoingalifebidat Gilbert, movie, years Laura who didfifteen Whitehorn political prisonerssay this,includingtwo inthe ing abetterworld isworth it. When you hear fi of thepeoplewho have sacri- madethegreatest the mostpowerful forcesintheworld. Butsome it’s aridiculousjoke tothinkyou canoverthrow price forourmistakes, assomealreadyhave. takes. The enemy we isruthless; willpay ahigh act beingdevised allthetime,including ces say thatthechancetoplay inbuild- apart termination camps,prisonsandmilitary termination It’s nothelpfultopretendthatthelevel of Given thepotentialpower ofpeople’s strug- Those who don’t want changewilltellyou

rld isstillpossible; we were lucky enoughto must notforget thatresistancemovements go, andsoinevitably we willmake mis- Three membersoftheWeatherThree Underground A the past. caution andhumility than Ipersonallydidin withmuchgreater which Iwouldapproach Risking people’slivesisanothermatter, people. not toinjure ings, whilebeingcareful didtoafewimperialistbuild- Underground forthedamage theWeather way amIsorry and beingburiedbyit.Inthefaceofthat, no genocidal violence choice betweenresisting intheircommunities--onlythe not present decide betweenviolenceandnonviolenceis to of coloroftenpointoutthattheluxury violenceintheworld.Activists overwhelming thedefiningand States andglobally--are ofpeoplecolorin theUnited targeting its andeconomy--inparticular ment, military moral level,theviolenceofU.S.govern- perspectives, moralandtactical.Ona two nonviolence, let’slookatitfrom s forthequestionofviolenceand THE INDYPENDENT OCTOBER 25 – NOVEMBER 11, 2003 13 COMMENTARY >> Direct action is about taking resist- ance beyond slogans and symbolism. Somewhere along this got the way, lost to the Black Bloc fetishists and grant-written glitterati. People,” Weather arguedPeople,” Weather radicals needed to “Fight that RANDT B iolence is not the issue. I don’t think it ever was. Not back iolence is not the issue. I don’t Undergroundin the day when the Weather in blew up toilets today as the Earththe Capitol Building and not Liberation eatherman developed out a maelstrom glob- not unlike today’s ED J Over the last few years, dozens of attacks claimed by the ELF Over the last few years, dozens The Weathermen despised the theoretical less in their approach, paints slogans like The ELF, in Hating people for the miserable conditions we find ourselves W Gitlin mantra Responding to this desperation with some Todd Or will those who believe another world is possible work to All across America, millions have had their illusions ripped away in For the first time in a generation, the radical left has an opening, Y Front Revolution (ELF) flips out over SUVs and condominiums. radicals adopt – it is a transformationisn’t a leather-jacket tactic by millions. It can be violent, but it’s of the whole society made definitely not, as the old saying goes, not about violence. And it’s a dinner party. have burned a lot of cars, a few constructionsites on the West Coast, and earned a 23-year prison sentence for Jeffrey “Free” Leurs, a young anarchist who never hurt The ELF is more a fly. logo than organization, a mantle individuals can claim without the security risk – or accountability – of despite a collective process. Yet, their claims to “direct action,” it’s a lot more “propaganda of the deed” than a storming of the Bastille. It makes a big splash, but changes nothing. The system is unaffected. common people of this country with a spirit more aristocratic than proletarian. to the Black Panther-inspired In opposition slogan “Serve the in the People,” meaning white people, for their supposed complicity was, of course, all white. the system. Weather “Fat Lazy Americans” on the side of SUVs before they torch them. not self- What they both miss is that it is people themselves and appointed bands of the disaffected who actually make revolution. People aren’t And quite a few have a good just fat, lazy and stupid. idea what’s wrong, not that you’d ever know it from the narrow worldview of these self-appointed saviors. is corrosive – and a sure sign that “radicals” are isolated and out of touch. Extremism is taking reformist politics to the level of vio- lence. Radicalism is getting to the source of the problem and organizing It’s a lot easier to talk broadly to build people’s power. to your neighbor than it is to light his car on fire. al justice movement. Predominantly white, middle class and young, today’s protest often rebel radicals against their own culture instead of fighting for it. In the 1960s they used “participatory the talk at least is of “consensus.” Weather Today, democracy.” was an all-white group packed with upper-class dropouts that guilt- tripped about “white privilege.” The ELF just ignores it. Weatherman thought they were revolutionaries, while the ELF seems to have no Both are responses to a rapid vision of the future whatsoever. growth in disorganized radicalism without much connection to peo- ple in everyday life, or even radical groups with more than a couple of years experience. The frustration and alienation remain the same, but the times are different. Very different. about becoming a young loyal opposition isn’t an option. When the cold truth is confronted – that we don’t live in some wondrous democratic experiment and that the state will guarantee the power of unaccountable elites through the most vicious wars and repres- sion – activists face a choice: Are we to remain content as a per- manent opposition, waving placards, or burning SUVs, while holing up in college towns or any one of a dozen Lower East Sides? make it happen? Direct action is about taking resistance beyond this got lost to slogans and symbolism. Somewhere along the way, the Black Bloc fetishists and the grant-written glitterati. The Democratic the last two years. The ugly empire is on full display. Party, and the leftish intelligentsia, have proven themselves complic- it in not just the bloodlettings abroad, but the ongoing internment of Muslims and repression at home. Something needs to be done. But turning to vandalism and symbolic violence isn’t all that different it isn’t even from the “activism” of the legal left. In a strange way, that different from of representation voting. It is all a politics – and need to be more radical, less extreme. We not actuality. what some have called a “teachable moment.” But too many activists robust insurgencyconfuse extremism and alienation with a healthy, that speaks in plain English to everyday people at work, on the train and in the neighborhood. If radicals are angry enough to fight, the question then stands: Do they have enough love to win? Another world isn’t just possible, it’s inevitable. How it goes is up to us. B MORE RADICAL LESS EXTREME V and if you don’t want to explode after watching The and if you don’t

r, eather Underground documentary’s blood-spurting documentary’s eather Underground eather “Days of Rage” protests “opportunistic, adven- Both criticisms still stand. Marge Piercy, in “The Grand Coolie Damn,” her pio- Piercy, Marge I don’t have any answers. The tragic paradox of politi- I don’t Most people weren’t, and the upsurge broke. and the upsurge Most people weren’t, The tragedy of this is that by the time my generation neering critique of sexism on the left, wrote that, beyond a certain point, the process of hardening yourself for the struggle “does not produce a more efficient revolution- only a more efficient son of a bitch.” And Chicago ary, Black Panther leader Fred Hampton, two months before he was murdered by police in December 1969, called the W turistic, and Custeristic.” cal violence is that the ruling class is not likely to yield power without it, but the types of personalities and that are best at it are the ones most likely organizations to lead to dictatorship (Soviet Union, China, Cambodia), while the US has brutally deposed leftist governments that tried to stay democratic (Chile, Nicaragua). I can understand the frustrations that led people to turn urban was formed after Underground guerrilla. The Weather four years of protesting had failed to stop the Vietnam Wa W general shooting a hand- footage of a South Vietnamese cuffed prisoner in the head, you’ve got a hole in your soul. But successful politics is about effective tactics and not merely acting out your rage. strategy, came of age, Watergate and the 1973-74 gas crisis and came of age, Watergate recession were proving to most people in America that the movement had been right: Richard Nixon was a petty-fascist liar and the rich were scamming while everyone else suffered. But with little left of the left beyond a handful of miniscule, often cult-like sects, the main alternatives for disaffected youth were grudging assimilation, rural-hippie isolation, or a nihilistic devo- tion to sex, drugs, and rock’n’roll. (The second grew vegetables and the third produced punk-rock, so organic all bad.) they weren’t these people and essentially told everybody else, “If you’re not ready to die with us, you’re a wimp wallowing in white-skin privilege.”

eatherman in the early 1970s. graffiti from New York W

ISHNIA W

missal of the white working class as hopelessly

he Weather Underground was incredibly destruc- Underground he Weather tive to the radical movement of the sixties. Its dis REVOLUTION IN THEIR OWN MIND pigs alienated a crucial potential constituency, and its pigs alienated a crucial potential constituency,

TEVEN S eatherpeople topped it all by celebrating the Manson took the 300 or so hardest core of eather Underground Before its 1969 split, Students for a Democratic Granted, some white working-class people engaged in demographic among suicidal to reject the largest It’s In an era when much of the left had an apologistic or Y MAKE PIGS PAY: Family murders. “Dig it, they even shoved a fork into a leader Bernardine Dohrn stomach,” Weather victim’s exclaimed in a December 1969 speech. (This was before Charles Manson was revealed to be a pimpoid white supremacist in hippie drag.) This helped open the way for the racist, “tough on crime,” phony populism that has permeated American politics for the last 35 years, from Richard Nixon to Rudy Giuliani. Society had perhaps 100,000 members, and close to a million people, if not more, turned out for antiwar The demonstrations at least a couple of times a year. W racist follow their kamikaze denunciation of activists who wouldn’t disintegration. line contributed to the radical movement’s foul behavior during that era, from the beatings of anti- Center construction Trade war protesters by World workers in 1970 to the racist resistance to school busing in Boston in 1975-76. On the other hand, if you want to start a revolution – or any progressive movement – in America, you have to look among the people who don’t have a lot of money and have to deal with boredom and petty tyranny on the job. jump to become this group, just because they won’t armed revolutionaries when some privileged kid (most of came from upper-middle-class-and- the Weatherpeople up backgrounds) tells them they should. Dismissing as concerns about their kids getting racist white people’s ripped off for their lunch money drives them into the win any credibility arms of the right wing, and won’t either among black or Latino people who live in or have escaped high-crime areas. romantic attitude toward street criminals, the W B

A T DEFEATING STATE EMPIRE: The Indypendent asked antiwar activists an WHY THE STRUGGLE AGAINST WASHINGTON’S WAR IS ALSO A STRUGGLE THE SUP AGAINST THE STATE OF TOD BY ERIC LAURSEN

merica’s war of aggression in Iraq is pulling together opponents around the world, each for their own particu- Alar reasons. Many if not most are choosing to take the same road to ending the war – a road that leads through Cancun BY BAL PINGUEL and Miami, the respective sites of the most recent, failed World Trade Organization conference and the upcoming attempt to The day after the largest, globally coordinate impose a Free Trade Area of the Americas on the developing lies in history, a New York Times editorial desc nations of the Western Hemisphere. By taking time away to join in the midst of a contest between “two super the indigenous peoples and workers protesting these conspiracies most evident superpower is the military migh of the wealthy, antiwar activists help to link the imperialism rep- However, after millions marched against this wa resented by the “Washington Consensus” on global trade with Fareed Zakharia, Michael Ignatieff, Robert Kaplan, and the other 15, it can no longer be denied that the second the imperialism embodied by Washington’s push to dominate cheerleaders of “empire” who do the necessary intellectual acrobat- world public opinion. Anti-war sentiment is the Middle East. ics to build an ideology around Washington’s effort to push the much of the world overwhelming. That’s the good news, and it promises to help tie U.S. antiwar state to its next creative level. There is something uncanny about the evoluti activists into a more tightly woven global coalition against the “The most important moral commitment for America is to tionship between these contesting forces. The cu American foreign policy agenda than existed even during the preserve its power,” Kaplan told the Washington Post emphatical- tration has vowed to anticipate “terrorist attacks Vietnam War. The bad news? There isn’t any yet – but there will ly last year, using the kind of “faith-based” language we’re in States” through preemptive strikes against woul be if the antiwar movement fails to extend its critique of the war danger of becoming used to. This view, and the evolution in the tors and the nations and governments “harbor to the nature of the state itself. concept of the state that it embodies, is what we are really fight- effect, causing wars in order to presumably stop So let’s stop beating up on George Bush for a second – he was ing against. The assumptions behind ‘pre-emptive strikes hardly noticing it anyway! – and instead ask the question why a 9/11 gave the U.S. – gave the state it represents – its first real so shaky that they had to be buttressed by a supposedly democratic, representative government decided to do chance in 30 years to go back to the imperial project it began in called “weapons of mass destruction.” such a harebrained thing as invade Iraq. Vietnam and to get it right. But the subsequent invasions also give The way that the rival “super-power” - world Whatever kind of government it has, the function of the state is us a chance to get a few things right that the antiwar movement of ion – mobilized itself for the February 15 demo to take direction – from a leader, from an elite, from a powerful the 60’s perhaps did not-- in particular to recognize the state itself also a convergence of reality and fiction. Its very coterie of propertied interests. The state is the blank slate on which as the focus of our struggle. Our goal should be not just to get the revolutionary these players inscribe their plans for acquiring power and wealth. In U.S. out of Iraq and Afghanistan – to defeat the American bid for The first of its kind, the world call to simulta laying out a grand plan for U.S. domination of the Middle East, empire in the Middle East – but to make sure the wheel never turns developed from the space created at the No Bush and his cohorts have supplied Washington with what it needs around to this same place again. European Social Forum in Florence, itself in most – a mission and a long-term project to strengthen itself and Eric Laursen is an organizer for No Blood For Oil. World Social Forums hosted in Paerto Alegre, extend its influence. in part organized through old-fashioned grassro Make no mistake about it, should the imperial project that building and education – February 15 represen began with the invasion of Afghanistan and Iraq have any long- tionary breakthrough in activism through th term success, the U.S. is liable to emerge as a vastly more power- internet to put one date in the mind of a hund ful state than any we’ve seen before. Its military reach will be wider and deeper than any other state in history. Its capability to pry into every detail – not just of its citizens’ lives but those of anyone in the world it targets – will be unprecedented. Its ability to project the interests of large corporations and natural resources despoilers into every inch of the globe will be nearly absolute. The destruc- tive force it can unleash will be many times greater than that held by any other power. Congress is now on the brink of giving the Bush regime every- thing it needs – for now – to push forward with this new blue- print, and no wonder: It’s the only long-term vision for the American state that’s actually on the table and in the process of being implemented. None of the Democratic presidential candi- dates has yet articulated a different scenario because, I suspect, they don’t have one: and perhaps, deep down, they find the Bush vision too attractive – if only one of them, rather than Bush, was in charge. We’ve been here before. For most of the Vietnam War period, Democratic critics of the “conflict” acted with one hand tied behind their backs, because they could not articulate a vision in which the U.S. would actually withdraw itself from one of its quasi-colonial possessions. Every day that the U.S. stays in Iraq and Afghanistan, this will become more and more the case as well. The losses may be unacceptable, the costs may be unbear- able, but the mere thought of pulling out will be unthinkable because it would mean curtailing the expansion and enrichment of the American state. Politicians, and political scientists, like to see the state not as a servant of the people but as a creative, dynamic, and expanding force – and if it must be fertilized with blood so be it. Today, the U.S. and China are the states with the most potential to fit this THE INDYPENDENT model, which is why Washington wants so badly to contain and constrain Beijing. But Washington and its apologists have seen the U.S. as a different kind of state for a long time. During the Vietnam War, the Johnson and Nixon Administrations surrounded them- selves with troops of academics and “policy professionals” whose job MAY 1-15, 2003 MAY was to provide a rationale for the war and the national security state whose creation the war was facilitating. Today their descendants are 12 THE INDYPENDENT MAY 1-15, 2003 13 WSON A L OXANNE R BASE Y B BUILDING As a white, middle-class male, I think it’s key As a white, middle-class male, I think it’s build multiracial movements led by oppressed people. It is this political commitment that drives our efforts challenging our own white privilege and internalized racial superiority is see key to successful liberation struggle. We how white privilege has undermined social change movements throughout US history and that solidarity with people of color is key to winning justice. Furthermore, successful move- ments require men challenging patriarchy, straight-identified people fighting heterosex- ism and those with class privilege looking to low-income and working-class leadership to oppose capitalism. the communities that I come from - to organize privileged communities that see themselves connected to and benefiting from the system. While there are real benefits, the costs of this system and the life affirming goals of the move- around ment must be articulated and organized concretely in privileged communities. need to be clear about what we think and

I work with Anti-Racism for Global Justice, believe (which certainly includes answers), but revolution is not an event to prepare for. Revolution is a process of transformation that we make and as Paulo Freire helped teach us, we must make the road by walking. Asking ques- tions, with the goal of increasing our capacity to act, can move us forward. a project of the Challenging White Supremacy do political education and workshops. We with mostly white activists in the organizing global justice and anti-war movements. In the Coordinating late 60s the Student Non-Violent Committee challenged white activists to organ- ize other white people as a way to build the base of anti-racist radical politics in white commu- to help nities. The goal was then, as it is now, fit into a larger strategy? These are the kinds of fit into a larger questions that I hear people asking and when the left asks deep questions rather then knowing a positive sign. all the right answers, I think it’s We he peace and justice movement in the United States is he peace and justice movement have, for the first time in at a defining moment. We to build a movement the past 30 years, really begun are movement building and growing and winning. Recently the president of Bolivia resigned due to are movement building and growing and winning. Recently

are realizing that the systems that oppress us are working together to accomplish their goals and that we are realizing that the systems that oppress us are working

For the past two years the world has been in a place of con- For the past two years the world major battles fought, fas- The war on terrorism has had This is an unprecedented war in a nuclear age where the and incarceration, of death and nuclear But despite the fear of violence and recrimination, of deportation of small, isolated countries to stand up together It is evident in the coalition of the coerced and the ability as isolated to stop- seeing their work organizers Movement building is the item of the era. No longer are We in a real way. This movement building has also caused us to This movement building has in a real way. demons; our own prej- exercise our internalized and ignored udices and presumptions. 11, 2001 the U.S. govern- tinual change. After September war; the war on terrorism. ment and military began a new casu- with innumerable theaters and uncountable This war, end in our life- that wouldn’t alties was promised to be a war good on that promise. times. So far the U.S. has made in the U.S., in parts of the cist legislation has been passed as well as in U.S. allied Caribbean and Latin America, countries across the world. stakes may climb so high as to challenge whether humani- can long endure. The war on terrorism has as a species, ty, issued in a new area of international politics and diploma- Two War that have existed since World Arms treaties cy. are now easily discard able. In the decade following the end the war on terror affords weapons manu- of the Cold War allies have become polite enemies in this area of “for us facturers new markets to sell there wares. Traditional The detainment, expulsion and deportation of many or against us” politics with the “us” not being very clear. people have pushed our country back to a new period of xenophobia. me hope and proves that the “war without end” peril people the world over are resisting. This resistance gives This is evident in the global protests of February will come to an end. The people of the world demand it. anti-war movement in history. 2003. These protests gave a face, voice and size to the largest for global trade agreements that seek to invest against the U.S. It is evident in the breakdown of negotiations of the many; it is evident in the movement that more power and money in the hands of the few at the expense is growing globally every day. activists and advocates are Organizers, X or stopping Dam Z from being built in some country. ping War that the system that kills farm crops are recognizing We banding together and recognizing our community. and clear cutting rainforest land in the Amazon. and farmers in Columbia is also drilling for oil in the Artic We as well. as resisters must find our commonalities and work together corporate welfare queens of international businesses pressure from his own people. Countries have forced the to buy what they are selling. U.S. troops more and to rethink who they exploit. They have refused essentially the military but not on their visions of their their back on more are becoming conscientious objectors. Turning struggle continues. The movement grows. The country as a peacemaker instead of an occupier. T

RASS C racist, multiracial, feminist, class- conscious movements capable of chal- ow do we build broad-based, anti- HRIS C What are we learning about international sol- Y idarity as the struggle for a free Palestine becomes more central and the global South con- tinues to lead the way in the global justice movement? What does it mean to look to radi- cal leadership in oppressed communities and what roles do people coming from race, class communities play? and/or gender-privileged How do mass mobilizations, like the one today, lenging global capitalism and US imperial- anti- ism? What can we learn from the largest war mobilization in the history of the world that took place this past year? What does it mean for community based racial justice strug- gles when the AFL-CIO announces immigrant rights as its #1 priority and actively supports Freedom the historic Immigrant Worker Rides? B ANTI-RACIST ORGANIZING KEY TO LIBERATION ANTI-RACIST ORGANIZING KEY TO LIBERATION H THE MOVEMENT F world’s strongest superpower when it is couched in con- strongest world’s cepts like “pre-emptive strike” and famed in the rheto- ric of fear? respected? wars or small-group attacks), what is true security and who is it for? Three key questions now face the international peace and How can the people prevent brazen aggression by the 1. people” democratically be How can the “will of the 2. age of “terror” (be it through state-sponsored In this 3. first comprehensive super- Given that the U.S. is the world’s These “pre-emptive” wars and overall interference in the The next step for the peace and justice movement in the US Base building does not have to start from scratch. There have despite tremendous differences in philosophy and tempera- ment among activists. justice movement: militarily and cul- politically, economically, dominating power, the answer to these questions lies much with the peo- turally, ple of the United States in whose name this power is deployed. internal affairs of other countries will simply continue unless checked from within. parlance, base is to build a solid foundation, or in organizers’ building. been successes in the anti-war and civil-rights movement upon the Given which the movement for peace and justice can grow. of domestic impact of the war against terrorism, both in terms civil economic costs and the unquantifiable damage it exacts on liberties, the ground for movement is fertile. nd writers to sharend writers to thoughts on the nature their is going. of the problem and where Wars opposition to the Bush nted an evolu- ion of and rela- ld-be perpetra- ed antiwar ral- s deep and in s in the United ring” them. In ovember 2002 dred countries, another fiction ry impetus was taneous actions

, Brazil. While PERPOWERS roots coalition- onstrations was ld public opin- ht of the USA. scribed a world urrent adminis- es’ in Iraq were the use of the nspired by the erpowers.” The p them. d superpower is

war on February

EO DAY 14 OCTOBER 25 – NOVEMBER 11, 2003 THE INDYPENDENT REVIEWS & I in, anargument is onceagain the presidentialelections closing down inalandwar Asia.With among thetroops and occupiers.Demoralization instead viewedasforeignaggressors liberators discoveredthattheywere that U.S.forceswouldberegardedas Monthly Review Harry Magdoff,aneditorof Economics ofU.S.ForeignPolicy called to thatdebatewasathinbook that system. explicit objectivetheuprootingof to buildamovementthathadasits alism, thenitwouldbenecessary ly inevitableresultofU.S.imperi- war. Butifthewarwasapractical- rational groupwhowouldendthe the WhiteHousewithamore tion wastoreplacethepeoplein well-functioning system,thesolu- mistake producedbyanotherwise movement. Ifthewarwassimplya the futuredirectionofanti-war one becauseithadimplicationsfor imperialism. were increasinglycallingU.S. cal outcomeofthesystemthey war wasinfacttheperfectlylogi- more radicalforcesargued thatthe the war. were unabletoseetherealnatureof anti-Communist ideologythatthey who weresoblindedbytheirown by acircleofforeignpolicyanalysts take,” acalamitouserrorpromoted that thewarinVietnam wasa“mis- U.S. foreignpolicy. Liberalsargued an intensedebateonthenatureof growing anti-warmovement. many returningveteransjoinedthe States isonce imperialism. revolutionary fightagainstU.S. through thelensofaworldwide alists andtoseetheiractivism to viewthemselvesasanti-imperi- vinced countlessstudentactivists style andsoberarguments con- was electric.Itsnon-rhetorical United States. global economicdominanceofthe raw materialsinordertoensurethe potential marketsandsourcesof trol, directlyorindirectly, over driven bytheneedtosecurecon- and thatitsforeignpolicywas States wasanimperialistpower tightly argued casethattheUnited constituted awell-documentedand Magdoff, buttakentogetherthey tion oflecturesandarticlesby of Imperialism THE NAMING A veryimportantcontribution The debatewasanimportant In oppositiontotheliberals, W Now it’s 2003andtheUnited The effectof 152 pp. Monthly ReviewPress,2003 by HarryMagdoff W I Asia. Americanswhobelieved bogged downinalandwar n 1969,theUnitedStateswas MPERIALISM CRITICISM ithin thatmovementtherewas ITHOUT The AgeofImperialism, SYSTEM again getting was actuallyacollec- The AgeofImperialism C magazine. OLONIES was rampantand The Age bogged by maintain itsposition as thedomi- essary iftheUnited Statesisto tary aggressionarenormal andnec- how imperialism’s wars andmili- not amerepolicy, itbecomesclear “imperialist.” tion ofU.S.foreignpolicyas tradiction withthecharacteriza- shows howthisisnotatallincon- forms ofdomination.Magdoff tration infavorofmoreindirect reliance ondirectcolonialadminis- has historicallybeenalimited tinctive featureofU.S.imperialism gy’s titleessayargues thatthedis- French imperialism,theantholo- factor behindU.S.foreignpolicy. deny thatthisisthecentraldriving tating critiqueofthosewhowould the worldandthenpresentsadevas- of U.S.economicinterestsaround updating of W has justbeenpublished. Magdoff, new collectionofessaysbyHarry like it.Soitisveryfortunatethata stop itbuttopreventmorewars and whatitwilltakenotjustto ment overthenatureofwar unfolding intheanti-warmove- ithout Colonies Once understoodasasystemand In contrastwithBritishor Magdoff demonstratestheextent Y localism informed by global solidarity,localism informed vitalresist- a separatemoments.Stressing like ahundred seem inwhatmightotherwise convey theharmony collectivehasmanagedto Nowhere Notes From the Monsanto’s genetically-modifiedcottoncrops, actionagainst takingdirect Indian farmers New York slumsinthe1980sto City’sburned-out actionethos. tion tothedirect open war, tradeagendaexceptthrough to advancetheirfree have foundthemselvessuddenlyhumbled,unable peopleintheworld stand howthemostpowerful and many‘yeses.’”Forthoselookingtounder- Justice movementagainstcapitalismis“one‘no’ seatsofpower. tothevery song andresistance hasbrought protests carnival ofecstaticstreet oftheClintonera.Andarolling trade orthodoxies thefree tiltingawayfrom south isprecariously EARE WE DTDB H OE RMNWEECOLLECTIVE>>VERSO2003 NOWHERE FROM THENOTES EDITED BY From the guerrilla gardening movementthatswept gardening theguerrilla From Commentators havelongnoticedthattheGlobal T SeattleandtodayBolivia.TheWorldesterday rade Organization isparalyzed. Theglobal rade Organization Imperialism Without Colonies The AgeofImperialism We is inmanywaysan

Are Everywhere Are Imperialism EVERYWHERE . is a great introduc- is agreat Colonies in theworld. assertions aboutwhat ishappening sources tosupportitssweeping it almostnevercitesanyfactual ogy andByzantinedigressions,but all sortsofnewlycoinedterminol- hundreds ofpageslong,filledwith its attentiontothefacts. ment toclarityandprecision, Antonio Negri’s taken fromMichaelHardtand that someradicalactivistshave dish ideasaboutinternationalaffairs also achallengetosomeofthefad- warmaking aroundtheworld.Itis about whatitwilltaketostopU.S. only achallengetoliberalillusions book from unworthy ofmuchcomment. to viewtheU.S.armedforcesas of theworldorderwhichseemed of thenationstateinworkings view oftheincreasingirrelevance followed werenotkindto September 11andtheeventsthat of someradicalactivists.But stantly poppingoutofthemouths and phrasesfrom nant economicpowerintheworld. In contrast, What reallydistinguishesthis Before September11concepts Imperialism Without Colonies is 152pageslongand yet Empire Imperialism Without Empire Empire the smart crowds do if they actually broke in? doiftheyactuallybroke crowds the smart question bywayofthesummitbattles–whatwould won’t bringitdown.Or, asonecontributorputthe astrategy.ues, buttheyaren’t Dancingonawall Multiplicity, val- great are immediacyandcreativity tothecomingstruggles. the manyprehistories Inthis, crowd. oftheBushandBerlesconi turn answer thehard Seattle toGenoahavebeenunableseriously movementssocatalyticfrom why theprotest show whywemightbegettingsomewhere. with energy, andbursting lightonjargon art, photos andstreet bookforradicals.Packedwith first coffee-table thingtohold.Sopretty,a pretty the itisperhaps cover achaoticworldmovement,thebookitselfis outloud. dream Manyhavebegunto sions oftheendhistory. illu- ance hasawokenvastnumbersofpeoplefrom is itscommit- If the book fails anywhere, itisin notexploring If thebookfailsanywhere, to theambitionofananthologytrying Aside from . were con- Empire Empire is not We is ’s We

Are Everywhere Are Are Everywhere Are ance andresistanceinto revolt. need toturndiscontent intoresist- of leanandmuscularanalysiswe W fused. Magdoff’s needs, wecan’t affordto be con- civil libertiesandbasicsocial Iraq andthedomesticassaulton rapidly deterioratingsituationin mushy, evenlazy. to September11wasinexcusably rizing thatwastakingplaceprior against. Alotoftheradicaltheo- to understandthesystemweareup argumentation thatactivistsneed time. Ithasvitalinformationand couldn’t havecomeatabetter not understandthem. agree withthemyoucan’t claimto always crystalclear. Evenifyoudis- contrast, Magdoff’swritingsare parts thatarejustplainwrong.By the partsthataredebatableand parts thatareincomprehensible, sible toseparatethemoutfromthe italist order, butitisalmostimpos- into theworkingsofglobalcap- contains someimportantinsights tation tosupportitsclaims. manages toprovidesoliddocumen- ithout Colonies Things havechanged.With the Imperialism Without Colonies – CHRISTOPHERDAY EHOBURTON – JETHRO bookends oneof can’t helpbut is exactlythesort Imperialism Empire

ANDREW STERN/INDYMEDIA F our time. the revolutionarymovementsof tures themostcrucialideasbehind has writtenararebookthatcap- ’n’ rock as wellthebirthofbebop, olutions, theBandungConference, world. TheChineseandCubanrev- the UnitedStates,butalsofor an explosiveperiod,notonlyfor 1940s totheearly1970s.Thiswas and liberationfromthelate American struggleforcivilrights more, KelleyminestheAfrican- W socialist traditionsofCLRJames, black. Informedbythepan-African ing-girl harems. streams ofchampagneanddanc- hip-hop videoswiththeirendless the sticky, self-servingnihilismof collective desireforfreedominto utopian impulse,transforminga Madison Avenue hashijackedthat cals andrevolutionaries.But once thecherisheddomainofradi- could beinsteadofastheyare,was society.” In tantly enableustoimagineanew relive horrorsand,moreimpor- us toanotherplace,compel great poetryalwaysdoes:transport Rather, “thebestonesdowhat The BlackRadicalImagination new bookofessays Professor RobinD.G.Kelleyinhis writes NewYork University and narrativesofoppression,” do notsimplyproducestatistics stepping outintotheglobalarena. “Black” representsanewpeople transformation from“Negro”to world-wide upheaval.Theself- began againstthisbackdropof American struggleforcivilrights place inthisperiod.TheAfrican- W ing awhitewoman. InHavana to trumpedupcharges ofassault- North Carolina,fledtoCubadue the NAACPinMonroeCounty, media. Williams, formerchairof W Chinese Revolution.” independence movements,andthe the blackfreedomstruggle,African China “buildingbridgesbetween DuBois, Garvinwouldtravelto Ghana. Throughhercontactwith the newlyliberatedcountryof artist Tom Feelings,foundrefugein along withpoetMayaAngelouand Kenya, butofVicki Garvinwho, and theMau-Maurebellionof tions betweenthewarinVietnam like MalcolmXwhodrewconnec- an independentBlack newspaperas IETESKY THE HIDE TO ENOUGH BIG IS NO FIST .E.B. DuBoisandGeorge Pad- Kelley writesbothredand “Progressive socialmovements There wasalsoRobertF. Kelley notonlywritesofnotables illiams published illiams, apioneerinindependent V by RobinD.G.Kelley F rol erso, 2002 REEDOM that canseethingsasthey insurrectionary imagination reedom dreaming,theartof l and soulmusicalltook Freedom Dreams D REAMS Freedom Dreams: The Crusader , Kelley . , PEACE OUT

well getting his views out via “private” realms.” foreground and not in an old school “Radio Free Dixie” on Radio The power of Freedom Dreams sort of way. Or, as Professor Kelley Havana. lays in Kelley’s ability to move maintains, “After the revolution, Freedom Dreams is infused with from the personal to the political. we STILL want Bootsy! That’s Kelley’s commitment to feminism. Written for a new generation of right, we want Bootsy! We need In every chapter he gives props to activists who have witnessed the the funk!” women like Ella Baker, Gloria carnivals of resistance in Chiapas, Freedom Dreams joins Kelley’s pre- TODAY YOU Richardson, Barbara Smith and Seattle and Argentina, Kelley sees vious works, Race Rebels and Hammer the Combahee River Collective, the transformative power of move- and Hoe (a history of Communist CHOSE TO MATTER one of the first organization of rad- ments from below. The left body Party organizing in Alabama) as ical Black lesbian feminists. For politic needs an erotic charge that required reading for cultural work- BY SUHEIR HAMMAD Kelley, the development of black draws from the traditions of femi- ers and organizers of all persuasions. feminism reflected a “core vision nist, people of color and queer This review is dedicated to the mem- very day, you are faced with choices you did not create. From your [that] grows out of a very long his- visions of freedom to create a new ories of Palestinian artist and activist first conscious thought of the day, through all the movements of tory of black women attempting to space for a critical and soulful rev- Hasan Hourani and to hip-hop Edaily life, until your body finally demands sleep, you are bombarded solve the general problems of race olutionary politics. From the street organizer Matthew Hall whose work with questions, choices, and demands upon your morality and ethics. but doing so by analyzing and fighters, to the urban gardeners, nurtured many freedom dreams. You will not always be standing here, with us. There will be days the speaking from both “public and culture is being brought to the – KAZEMBE BULAGOON Empire’s aim of crushing dissent works on you better than others. On those days, you retreat into insecurity, self-doubt, even self-hatred. Your own senses have been over burdened with information. You know too ‘THE WRITER’S FIRST JOB IS TO TELL THE TRUTH’ much, are in too much psychic pain to do anything about it all. You ask, “Can’t I just get some party and bullshit time, like everyone else?” Yes, SONTAG VS. THE AMERICAN EMPIRE you can. Some of those days, there will be someone else standing in your place. Will you be there to back her up when she gets tired? ften called America’s most eclectic intellectual, America by the kind of awards they reap, and it is not I wish it could be a once and for good decision, this deciding to mat- Susan Sontag is best known as a daring essayist unfair to say that the literary and indeed grant-distrib- ter. I wish one demonstration, speaking final truth to absolute power, who has acted as a transatlantic conduit, sedu- uting establishment certainly deems Sontag safe.” could do it for all of us. I wish there was a talisman to rub every morn- O ing to remind us that the heavens, nature and our ancestors smile upon lously introducing the toughest avant-garde ideas and What she’d written in The New Yorker is common our struggle for peace and social justice. None of this competing for emo- subtlest post-modern personalities of Europe to sense, but common sense is proving to be dangerously tional investment because our world is so damned messed up; we don’t America. She has also capably played the roles of novel- radical within the krieg-culture of Bush and Sharon. know where to place our time, our hearts, our commitment. ist, literary critic, journalist, photographer, film & the- This year, Sontag was awarded war-dissenting You chose. ater director, and human-rights activist. Lately, this 70- Germany’s most prestigious literary honor, The This morning you woke up and realized again that everything you con- year-old of Polish-Lithuanian Jewish descent who grew Frankfurt Peace Prize, for her “exceptional sense of sume has an effect on your body. Everything you manufacture goes out up in Arizona and Los Angeles – but who considers her- morality and immorality.” True to her duty as a writer, into our world, and it either makes it a better or worse place, but it has self above all a citizen of literature – has been giving she seized the occasion to get commonsensical and hon- an effect. What you say out loud is heard, if not by those far away, at extraordinarily honest speeches, untangling America’s est about America. She reduced Donald Rumsfeld’s least by those beside you. If those people agree with you, your voices will knotty complexity for non-Yankees. “old Europe” rhetoric to a pile of play-dough, thereby join together. You will be heard farther away. And what about what you In May 2001, Sontag the writer was awarded the trying to repair strained German-American relations. don’t say? Sometimes you will not know best, and you will have to be Jerusalem Prize for Literature – a prize Nadine Gordimer She characterized the current American moment as quiet and learn, be quiet and thoughtful, be quiet and respectful, be refused, arguing she didn’t want to travel from one “the end of the republic and the beginning of the quiet and revisit what you thought you knew. apartheid to another. To the chagrin of some of Israel’s empire.” She explained that many Americans “see Today. critics, Sontag accepted the prize – but the orator seized themselves as defending civilization” and believe that It is not your imagination. We are indeed living in times we could not the dubious occasion to define her duties as a writer: “the barbarians are outside the gates” and “God is on have imagined. There seems to be less and less breathing room, no corner of our world to turn to for comfort and inspiration. Everywhere “The writer’s first job is not to have opinions but to [America’s] side.” She asserted: “Americans have got- there is war. And corporate media, in bed with arms companies, dic- tell the truth…and refuse to be an accomplice of lies or ten used to seeing the world in terms of enemies. tates scripted “news” that keeps us depressed. misinformation. Literature is the expression of nuance Terrorist is a more flexible word than communist.” You. and contrariness against the voices of simplification. She prognosticated: “I think as long as the USA has Choosing to be here, with us, instead, you hold the place for someone The job of the writer is to make it harder to believe the only one political party – the Republican party, a branch who couldn’t choose today. Someone you know and love who has been mental despoilers. The job of the writer is to help make of which calls itself the Democratic party – we aren’t beat down by all the various forms of depression rampant in our society. us see the world as it is, which is to say, full of many going to see a change of the current policy.” Again, You chose to be here, protesting the status quo of profits over people, for different claims and parts and experiences.” there’s nothing really all that radical or dissenting in yourself, maybe for your family, but you are here as well for those you She stood by her words, not only openly condemning these observations; they’re commonsense. Yet, the inter- don’t know – those of us who have believed the hype, and who are more the Israeli occupation, “the use of disproportionate fire- national media have again fixated on her “criticism” of afraid of change than losing what we have. Which is nothing, really. power against civilians, the demolition of [Palestinian] Bush’s “imperial program” as if she were Benedict Chose. homes and destruction of their orchards and groves, the Arnold reincarnate, which fixation is itself a index of the Your life is the only talisman you need to know. You are supposed to deprivation of their livelihood and their access to right-wing ideological drift of the international media. be respected. And you don’t need a ten-point program to know that food employment, schooling, medical services, free access to Sontag dares to tell truth, but to the mental despoilers, and healthcare for all is humane. You don’t need a manifesto to pursue neighboring towns and communities” – but also assum- the truth will always sound “harsh.” Most perniciously, peaceful relations. You don’t need any celebrity to thank you for taking ing the role, in the mayhem of September 2001, of what large commercial media leave out of their accounts a stand. You are self-contained in your position, because all of the media critic in The New Yorker: of Sontag’s speech are her most radical claims – that lit- Empire’s methods have failed today. You are a human being through and through and you recognize no borders today outside of your own “The disconnect between last Tuesday’s monstrous erature “strengthens our ability to cry for people who are body. You are as responsible to the earth as you are to yourself. dose of reality and the self-righteous drivel and outright different from us” and her insistence that literature can You are here because no matter how slick the politics, how confus- deceptions being peddled by public figures and TV free us from the chains of national chauvinism. ing the propaganda, all of this war-making, doesn’t sit right with you. commentators is startling, depressing. The voices – DIRK QUIGGLE And your name means too much to you for you to allow it to be dragged licensed to follow the event seem to have joined togeth- into death industries. You are clear. You are here. er in a campaign to infantilize the public. Where is the Today you chose to matter to those who need your solidarity. Today THE INDYPENDENT acknowledgement that this was not a “cowardly” attack you chose to count your own living body among those that are dying. on “civilization” or “liberty” or “humanity” or “the free O’ CELINE! To not be mistaken for agreeing with the current administration. To be world” but an attack on the world’s self-proclaimed heard as a dissenter, lest history looks back on all of us as blood- super-power, undertaken as a consequence of specific am as far away from poetry as I could possibly be – thirsty heathens with bad diets and worse manners. To stand in the American alliances and actions?” and so probably are the rest of us. Poetry arises stead of someone who can’t get up. To stand on the earth and prom- Swiftly, predictably, Sontag was lambasted by many from very different sources than politics and polit- ise to try and leave it better than you found it. Today you chose to set I fear in its rightful place in our bodies – in our heads, not in our hearts. OCTOBER 25 – NOVEMBER 11, 2003 “licensed voices” for refusing to be an accomplice to ical reporting, though politics can be the subject of their lies and misinformation; demonized as a traitor poetry as in the work of Robinson Jeffers or Ed Rolfe. There is no once and for good. You decide each day, though you did for making it harder to believe the mental despolia- It is a black moment, such as Louis Ferdinand Celine not create the options, how you will move in our world. Whether you will tions of a prevaricating administration and its bovine wrote about in his novels, “Journey to the End of leave behind life, or death. Whether you will speak up to be heard. media. She found herself perplexed, stating in a Salon Night” and “Death on the Installment Plan,” and his Whether your life is an opportunity. Whether your life is a burden on you, or a burden on those who want to value it only as labor for war. They interview that “I did not think for a moment my essay astonishing post-World War II novels. I read lately in drew the line in the proverbial sand with their hands dripping in blood. was radical or even particularly dissenting. It seemed an essay by George Steiner that Celine might be the We will stand in their places for them, on this side, until their own lives very common sense.” Sontag is dead on: her writing only European modern novelist who is remembered. mean more to them than money and power. But that may be tomorrow. does not, in the main, espouse a radical point of view. That would be because of how tragic, violent, and It is still today, and they stand against us, no matter how much we want Comparing her career to Edward Said’s, Alexander insane Celine’s books are, how close they come to real- these lines to be porous. You would not have created sides, but there Cockburn growls, “You can pretty much gauge a ity and truth. you have it – tomorrow you’ve got to choose all over again. 15 writer’s political sedateness and respectability in – DONALD PANETH THE INDYPENDENT

THE NEW YORK CITY INDEPENDENT MEDIA CENTER ISSUE #40 OCTOBER 25–NOVEMBER 11, 2003 WWW.NYC.INDYMEDIA.ORG media contacts Electronicintifada.net Publishes news, commentary, analysis, and ref- NAFTA ON STEROIDS: erence materials about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict from a Palestinian perspective. Accuracy.org ElectronicIraq.net For reporters and readers alike, the Institute FIGHT THE FTAA A news portal on the U.S.-Iraq crisis published for Public Accuracy serves as a contact and by respected Middle East alternative news content consortium for diverse expertise. publishers incorporating on-the-ground reports Almuajaha.com (The Witness) L.A. KAUFFMAN States and other rich countries rejected from veteran anti-war campaigners. demands that they reduce their massive Firsthand reports of life in occupied Iraq from the Baghdad Indymedia Center. n November 20 and 21, trade min- agricultural subsidies. UFPJ and its mem- Truthout.org isters from 34 countries will meet in ber groups helped organize more than 60 Provides links to critical news articles and Venezuelaanalysis.org original commentary on world events. OMiami to negotiate the Free Trade solidarity events across the United States Up-to-date news on Venezuelan politics. Area of the Americas (FTAA), a sweeping during the Cancun WTO meetings, marking Fair.org Commondreams.org agreement that would extend the NAFTA a first-ever convergence between the anti- Fairness & Accuracy in Reporting offers well-doc- umented criticism of media bias and censorship. Links to breaking news for the progressive model of corporate-driven globalization to war and anti-globalization movements. community. the entire Western Hemisphere, except for The failure of the WTO meetings makes Anti-war.com Corpwatch.org Cuba. Tens of thousands of protesters will An online magazine and research tool designed regional trade agreements such as the News, commentary and action points greet these trade ministers in a massive by “citizen experts” to keep the American people FTAA the leading edge of the Bush admin- and the world informed about U.S. foreign policy. on corporate crime. display of opposition to the FTAA, in what istration’s corporate global policy and is shaping up to be the most important reckless drive for empire. For all who sup- showdown over globalization since port peace, democracy, environmental Seattle. sustainability, and human dignity, the BY ASHLEY KIDD ed United for Peace and WAR RESISTERS Corporate globalization is central to the Miami mobilization is a crucial opportunity Justice, defines its mission LEAGUE broadly, to include fair trade, an Bush administration’s broad empire-build- UNITED FOR PEACE Since its founding in 1923 by to carry forward the momentum of Cancun Occupation Watch in Iraq, WWI veterans, the League has ing agenda and a key cause of militarism AND JUSTICE and derail the FTAA. Co-sponsoring the Oct. 25 Green Expos and anti-war worked in the civil rights move- and war, which is why United for Peace March on Washington, UFPJ, a demonstrations, besides its ment, was the first to demand and Justice has made mobilizing against coalition of more than 650 local educational tours and retail U.S. withdrawal from Vietnam, the FTAA a major priority for the fall. COME TO and national groups, demon- outlets, where one can buy fair- supported the women’s move- ly traded goods. In San ment, and opposed apartheid, The FTAA summit comes on the heels of strates against the war in Iraq and the associated issues of Francisco, it is organizing a par- building up resource materials one of the Bush administration’s greatest MIAMI allel march to the one in DC. for activists. It now focusing its the “war against terror.” Begun political defeats to date, the September Take part in this historic uprising for in 2002, it has put together Call (415) 575-5555, to get attention on demonstrations, collapse of World Trade Organization nego- peace and justice. Participate in some some of the largest anti-war involved. pamphlets and outreach, mobi- Global Exchange 2003, 2017 tiations in Cancun, Mexico. At that meet- or all of the wide array of activities events, such as the May 2003 lizing against the war on Iraq. teach-in in Washington, DC, with Mission Street, #303, San 339 Lafayette Street, New ing, a newly formed coalition of countries planned for the summit week, ranging Arundhati Roy, Howard Zinn and Francisco, CA, (415) 255-7296 York, NY 10012, (212) 228- from the Global South, known as the from teach-ins and conferences to a Edward Said. www.globalexchange.org 0450, [email protected] Group of 21 - emboldened by massive (212) 868-5545 www.warresisters.org massive legal march and rally to power- NOT IN OUR NAME protests in the streets of Cancun and sol- www.unitedforpeace.org ful nonviolent direct action. Not In Our Name, initiated on INTERNATIONAL idarity protests around the world - walked www.unitedforpeace.org CODEPINK March 23, 2002, builds a net- A.N.S.W.E.R. out of the WTO meetings after the United Founded last year, CODEPINK is work of resistance to the War One of the two coordinators of a women-initiated grassroots on Iraq, and the course of the October 25th March on Wash- movement whose members action our government has ington, International A.N.S.W.E.R. wear pink and hold creative, taken since September 11, (Act Now to Stop War & End sometimes outrageous, actions 2002. With more than 100 Racism) formed in response to against the war in Iraq, such as affiliated groups, the project the events of Sept. 11th, with the unfurling a 40-foot “pink slip” to aims to build resistance to the aim of stopping the aggressive George Bush in Los Angeles. war by supporting demonstra- policies of the United States gov- tions and brainstorming [email protected] Including protesting the FTC, ernment. A coalition of 11 organi- help distribute among other things, in its mis- actions that focus on three zations, A.N.S.W.E.R. organizes Phone: 212.684.8112 sion, CODEPINK encourages areas of government policy: the demonstrations, holds forums everyone to ask questions and our government’s preemptive and conferences, and issues THE INDYPENDENT Office and Mail: stand out by wearing pink. “‘War on the World,’ pamphlets and statements. to your town NYC Independent Media Center www.codepink4peace.org “Detentions, Deportations and 39 W. 14th St., Room 206, New Roundups of Immigrants,” and York, NY 10011, (212) 633- 34 E. 29th St. 2nd Floor GLOBAL EXCHANGE “Police State Restrictions.” 6646 $10 a month for 50 copies every 2 weeks! NY, NY 10016 Global Exchange, a human- [email protected] [email protected] rights organization that found- www.notinourname.net

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