Trump Threatens Election Day Coup Into the Streets! Shut It Down!

FACT-CHECKING SOCIALIST TRUMP AND BIDEN ACTION P. 7

VOL. 38, NO. 10, OCTOBER 2020 WWW.SOCIALISTACTION.ORG U.S. $1 / CANADA $2 Trump Threatens Election Day Coup Into the Streets! Shut It Down!

Police attacked protesters with tear gas canisters and flash grenades on June 1 , so Trump could walk to St. John’s Church for a photo-op. Photo: Erin Schaff/The New York Times

By Jeff Mackler, Socialist Action’s 2020 candidate for U.S. President Billionaire-Backed President Donald Trump responded on Sept. 23 to a reporter’s question “Win, lose, or draw in this election, will you commit here today for a peaceful trans- Biden and Trump Debate fer of power after the election?” Trump said, “We’re going to have to By David Ryan ed minority ruling rich. mongering parties see the U.S. military, see what happens…We want to get rid The overt bigot President Trump sig- whose troops are stationed in 800 bases of the [mail-in] ballots, and we’ll have a Joseph Biden’s Democrats have the naled during his debate with former VP in 70 countries around the world, as cen- very peaceful — there won’t be a trans- edge on Donald Trump’s Republicans Biden that violence might be his intend- tral to “protecting” U.S. imperialism’s fer, frankly. There’ll be a continuation.” with regard to billionaire backing, with ed response when he urged his Proud interests everywhere, including in the Trump subsequently repeated his threat Biden leading, according to Forbes mag- Boy racist followers to “Stand back and U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff Chair, Gener- to declare himself president on Election azine, by 131-93. This simple fact in- stand by,” if he felt the need to call in al Mark Milley, who winced in June at Day, apparently based on his presump- forms us that something is fundamental- federal troops to crush the expected and Trump’s suggestion that federal troops tion that his personal rejection of count- ly defective with the system itself. If our unprecedented mass mobilizations that be called in to quash Washington, D.C. ing mail-in and absentee ballots will ul- future depends on a Biden or a Trump will inevitably follow should he declare peaceful protestors, stated that calling on timately be upheld by the U.S. Supreme to save humanity from the multiple and himself president on Election Day af- such troops was unnecessary, “at least Court. catastrophic crises that capitalism has ter refusing to count tens of millions of for now.” At least for now! The spectacle of some dozen U.S. TV created, we are in deep trouble. On the mail-in and absentee ballots. Biden’s VP The ugly Sept. 29 Biden-Trump slug- stations broadcasting election returns on other hand, if the future depends on the pick, Kamala Harris, bragged during her fest shocked even the most cynical ob- November 3 while Trump’s White House determined center stage entrance of the subsequent debate with VP Mike Pence servers. But Trump’s endless crude in- simultaneously prepares its own count, working class masses, as we saw in the that in addition to the “seven members terruptions, torrent of lies and personal is almost beyond belief. Yet, if would- mobilization of some 20 million in 2000- of president George W. Bush’s cabinet insults notwithstanding, neither he nor be dictator Trump takes this route there plus cities in solidarity with Black Lives [who] are supporting our ticket, we have Biden proved capable of seriously ad- is zero doubt that we will see a massive Matter anti-racist protests, we have a the support of over 500 generals, retired dressing any of the critical issues facing protest mobilization of unprecedented world to win. That’s the only real con- generals and former national security ex- working people today. (continued on page 6) cern of the increasing repression-orient- perts and advisors.” No doubt both war- (continued on page 6) Upcoming Events - 2 Capitalist “Justice” - 5 SEIU Drop the Cops - 10 INSIDE Julian Assange - 3 Real Story of U.S. Empire - 7 Greek Fascists Jailed - 11 SOCIALIST ACTION Sin Fronteras - 4 Northern Lights - 8 Breonna Taylor Verdict - 12 Upcoming New Member WHERE TO Events FIND US Educational Series Bay Area, CALIFORNIA P.O. Box 10328 Oakland, CA 94610 Remembering [email protected] Continues! (510) 268-9429 Revolutionary North Bay, CALIFORNIA [email protected] Socialist Boulder, COLORADO [email protected] George Shriver Chicago, ILLINOIS P.O. BOX 578428 1936-2020 [email protected] Lexington, KENTUCKY Saturday [email protected] Louisville, KENTUCKY November 7, [email protected] Brunswick, MAINE 4pm ET [email protected] Detroit, MICHIGAN on [email protected]

Socialist Action “Books in all branches of knowledge.” Soviet poster from 1925. Kansas City, MISSOURI [email protected] YouTube New Member Educational Series (816) 221-3638 All classes start at 8:00 p.m. Eastern time Minneapolis–St. Paul, MN [email protected] Speakers include: Mon., Aug. 10 Building the Revolutionary Socialist Party Naomi Allen Today: Lessons of the Russian Revolution Buffalo, NEW YORK Marilyn Vogt-Downey Jeff Mackler [email protected] Jeff Mackler Mon., Aug. 24 The United Front: What It Is, and How It Can NEW YORK CITY Change the World [email protected] Paul LeBlanc Barry Weisleder (212) 781-5157 Ann Montague Mon., Sept. 7 Class Struggle Feminism Salem, OREGON Peter Hudis Ann Montague & Lisa Luinenberg [email protected] [email protected] Eduardo Quintana Mon., Sept. 21 Leninism: Understanding Imperialism and (971) 312-7369 Fernando Torres the State Gary Porter Nashville, TENNESSEE [email protected] Lifetime revolutionary socialist activ- Mon., Oct. 5 How Haiti’s Slave Revolution Changed the ist, author, journalist, translator, organiz- World Dallas–Fort Worth, TEXAS er Marty Goodman [email protected] George Shriver’s political activity spanned six decades, including the fight Mon., Oct. 19 Marxism and Freedom against the McCarthy-era witchhunts, Gary Bills Socialist Action the early civil rights movement, the es- Mon., Nov. 2 Introduction to Marxist Economics CANADA tablishment of the Fair Play for Cuba Nick Baker socialistaction.ca Committee, the Committee to Defend [email protected] the Bloomington Defendants and the Mon., Nov. 16 Racism: Its Origins and How It Will End, A 1-647-986-1917 struggles to defend Soviet-era dissidents Marxist Understanding from Stalinist persecution. He was a reg- Ed Jurenas ular contributor to national and international socialist publications, a Russian and Spanish language translator and a fighter to build the revolutionary social- Web Events ist party in the U.S. and worldwide. His last works included the editing and trans- Thursday, October 15 lating of the works of Rosa Luxembourg Revolutionary Cuba Today Join Socialist Action! as well as a soon to be published volume Gail Walker, Co-Chair, National Network on Cuba of the writings of Cuban Trotskyist Celia Ike Nahem, Organizer for the International US-Cuba Normalization Conference Hart, daughter of Cuban Revolutionary Thursday, October 22 For info about Socialist Action leaders Armondo Hart and Hayee San- Exposing the U.S. Imperialist War Machine: Syria, Iran, Venezuela, Yemen and how to join, contact: tamaria. Joe Lombardo, National Coordinator, United National Antiwar Coalition In collaboration with George’s daugh- Judy Bello, Administrative Committee UNAC, Syria Solidarity Committee Socialist Action National Office ter Jennifer Shriver, Socialist Action is P.O. Box 10328 Thursday, October, 29 organizing a Zoom Webinar commemo- Oakland, CA, 94610 Countering Trump’s Electoral Coup Threat ration of George’s life. Speakers TBA Initial speakers include George’s fam- Call: (510) 268-9429 ily, friends and collaborators: Naomi Al- Tuesday, November 3 len, Marilyn Vogt-Downey, Jeff Mack- Jeff Mackler for President Socialist Action Election night Rally Email: [email protected] ler, Paul LeBlanc, Ann Montague, Peter with Friends of Socialist Action Hudis, Eduardo Quintana, and Fernando Torres. Join us on Saturday, November 7 at 1:00 pm PT, 4:00 pm ET at Socialist Ac- SOCIALIST ACTION Closing news date: August 28, 2020 tion’s live YouTube connection. See so- Editor: Nick Baker Canada Editor: Barry Weisleder cialisaction.org. Socialist Action (ISSN: 0747-4237) is published monthly by Socialist Action Publishing Association, P.O. Box 10328, Oakland, CA 94610. Send address changes to: [email protected] or Mail to: Socialist Action, P.O. Box 10328, Oakland, CA 94610. For information call 510-387-7714, or RATES: For one year (12 issues, 1st class mail) — U.S./Canada/Mexico — $20. All other countries — $30. Money orders and checks should be in U.S. dollars. email [email protected]. n Signed articles do not necessarily represent the views of Socialist Action. These are expressed in editorials.

SOCIALIST ACTION OCTOBER 2020 2 Julian Assange: Extradition Show Trial

By Ron Ridenour a non-profit organization that claimed intelligence services (CIA, NSA) and Washington Post, and BBC TV and ra- to have published over 10 million clas- defense departments; many private com- dio have since abandoned Assange and Julian Assange has been held in iso- sified documents in the first ten years pany employees are government con- this historic case against freedom of the lation 23 hours per day at Belmarsh of its operations starting in 2006. The tractors. press. high-security prison since he was most explosive revelations include war Grand Jury selection always has gov- A 2019 study by John O’Day in Fair- dragged out of the Ecuadorian embassy logs from the Afghan War and the infa- ernment employees or private workers ness and Accuracy in Reporting found in London on April 11, 2019. The United mous “Collateral Murder” video from associated with the government. That is that even muckraking journals like States government claims he violated its July 2007, in which U.S. troops opened why the government always prosecutes Mother Jones made a point of dismiss- Espionage Act of 1917 and committed il- fire and killed over a dozen people in a accused violators of national security ing Assange’s claims to be a journalist, legal computer hacking. U.S. authorities Baghdad suburb including two journal- and espionage laws there. No journalist and denounced him for helping leakers requested England’s government arrest ists. Two children involved in the rescue has ever been so tried. The Espionage to break the law. and extradite him. He would be tried in were also seriously wounded. Act was made in wartime to prohibit In Denmark, the daily Politiken also Alexandria, Virginia. It is there that a While many herald the WikiLeaks’ ex- U.S. residents/citizens from supporting published some of WikiLeaks docu- secret grand jury began gathering a case posure of government atrocities and cor- U.S. enemies in times of war. Julian As- ments. Yet both it and state-sponsored against him on May 11, 2011. ruption, others have criticized Assange sange does not fit those criteria. DR media headlined news articles of The extradition trial at Old Bailey, the and WikiLeaks for inadequately curating According to the UN rapporteur on tor- the upcoming extradition trial as an out- central criminal court of London, just its content and violating personal priva- ture, Nils Melzer, even more Alexandria growth of earlier rape charges against concluded. A ruling is expected in Janu- cy. Notwithstanding, Brigadier General residents—more than the demographics him, which Swedish authorities dropped ary. Following his arrest, the court’s first Robert Carr, the counter-intelligence of- agency stated—work for the U.S. gov- in November 2019. When this report- legal proceedings against Assange dealt ficer who had overseen the investigation ernment. He told interviewer Daniel Ry- er confronted media outlets with this with his breach of bail conditions; he had by the U.S. Defense Department, admit- ser: error, they did nothing to correct the sought asylum in Ecuador’s embassy to ted under oath in 2013 that “I don’t have “The choice of location is not by co- falsehood. This is a typical example of avoid imprisonment in the U.S. Assange a specific example” of any person who incidence, because the jury members how the Western mass media in most had only 15 minutes to prepare with his came to harm due to the publication of must be chosen in proportion to the local countries demean and dismiss the As- lawyer and the hearing lasted only 15 the leaks. The claim that Assange collab- population, and 85 percent of Alexan- sange-WikiLeaks publications as a legit- minutes. As has been widely reported, orated with the Russians to leak emails dria residents work in the national secu- imate medium. one judge said that Assange was a “nar- that depicted Hillary Clinton in a nega- rity community—at the CIA, the NSA, Britain Tortures the Messenger cissist who cannot get beyond his own tive light in the 2016 election has also the Defense Department and the State self-interest.” not been substantiated. Department. When people are tried for Assange is still isolated in Belmarsh The judges, including Chief Magistrate The U.S. government has pursued a harming national security in front of a prison despite torturous conditions de- Emma Arbuthnot, ruled that he should be vendetta against Assange and WikiLeaks jury like that, the verdict is clear from scribed by UN special rapporteur on held in “custody” for 50 weeks. Bail vi- because they have been repeatedly hu- the very beginning. The cases are always torture Melzer. He and two medical spe- olations are usually punished by a fine, miliated by them. Whistleblowers have tried in front of the same judge behind cialists in torture examined Assange in and/or a few days in jail. Assange’s “cus- historically been treated very harshly closed doors and on the strength of clas- prison and concluded that he is a victim tody” for such a minor offense resulted in not primarily because of the content of sified evidence. No one has ever been ac- of “psychological torture.” Melzer went isolation. He has long since served that the information that they have helped quitted there on a similar case.” so far as to compare what was being time, but the government won’t release leak, but because they challenge the le- Niels Melzer (center), UN Special done to Assange with what the Nazis him pending results on the extradition gitimacy and authority of the state. The Rapporteur on Torture, Cruel, Inhuman did. They realized that using psycholog- matter. The U.S. government’s original Assange trial should be viewed in this or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, ical torture is more effective in breaking charges against Assange would have net- context. speaks at a news conference at the Unit- victims than physical torture. ted a maximum of five years’ imprison- ed Nations in New York, December 13, The Convention on Torture—to which ment. No Fair Trial Is Possible 2017, concerning torture used at the U.S. the U.S., UK, Sweden and Ecuador are In June 2019, Magistrate Arbuth- base in Guantanamo, Cuba. parties persecuting and/or prosecuting not ruled that a full extradition hearing Counsels for the U.S. government The most contentious exposés for the Assange—requires that member coun- should begin February 25, 2020, then contend that Assange has committed U.S. and England are connected to the tries conduct investigations into such expected to last five days. The trial was the largest “crimes” of compromises downloading of a “vast amount of clas- charges by the UN rapporteur. They all postponed while the U.S. initiated more of information in U.S. history. It was sified documents” by Chelsea Manning refused to do so. charges against him, which now amount irrelevant to the U.S. government and when she was a U.S. army intelligence Several politicians have publicly stated to 18 counts with a possible sentence of England’s magistrates that the “compro- analyst. She subsequently served sev- that Assange should be “hunted down” 175 years’ imprisonment. When there are mises of information” exposed truths of en years in prison. These files included (Sarah Palin), or “assassinated” (Tom court hearings, Assange is usually too many types of governmental crimes, in- approximately 90,000 reports about the Flanagan). Flanagan was a senior advis- sick to attend, and participates via vid- cluding war crimes punishable by years war in Afghanistan, 400,000 Iraq war er to Canadian PM Stephen Harper when eo. He is allowed few visitors and even to life imprisonment. reports and 800,000 Guantánamo Bay issuing “a fatwa against Assange” on the his lawyer is often not allowed in, or is If Assange is sent to Alexandria, he detainee assessments, as well as 250,000 Canadian TV station CBC. “I think As- limited to a few minutes. He is not even has no chance of a fair trial. According U.S. diplomatic cables. Many daily sange should be assassinated…I think allowed to have materials pertaining to to Alexandria’s demographics, the city of newspapers published information and Obama should put out a contract and the case in his cell. 159,000 people is located 12 kilometers documentation provided by Assange-led maybe use a drone or something.” from downtown Washington, D.C. Of WikiLeaks. Many of these newspapers, Hillary Clinton said the same to her Assange’s Alleged Crimes 96,500 employed persons, 24,000 work which published WikiLeaks exposures, staff on November 23, 2010: “Can’t we Assange is the founder of WikiLeaks, directly for the government, mainly for such as The Guardian, New York Times, just drone him?” n SOCIALIST ACTION OCTOBER 2020 3 Sin Fronteras Noticias de las Americas | News from the Americas Líderes garífunas Garifuna Leaders secuestrados en Honduras Kidnapped in Honduras siguen desaparecidos Still Missing

De Lazaro Monteverde político-militares, a diferencia de un By Lazaro Monteverde the Caribbean coast of Guatemala, the simple golpe militar pasado de moda, se Honduran Bay Islands and North Coast, El 18 de julio fueron secuestrados cin- están volviendo más comunes en Améri- On July 18, five Garifuna leaders from and Nicaragua’s Caribbean coast. co líderes garífunas de la costa norte de ca Latina. La más reciente tuvo lugar en the north coast of Honduras were kid- The Garifuna, along with campesino Honduras. Las cinco víctimas del secues- Bolivia el año pasado que derrocó al go- napped. The five kidnapping victims, Al- groups and other indigenous peoples in tro, Alberth Centeno, Milton Martínez, bierno democráticamente elegido de Evo berth Centeno, Milton Martinez, Suami Honduras have fought fierce battles in Suami Mejía, Gerardo Rochez y Junior Morales. El papel de Estados Unidos en Mejía, Gerardo Rochez, and Junior Me- recent decades against environmental Mejía, fueron sacadas de sus hogares en el apoyo al golpe y en el respaldo a las jía, were taken from their homes in a pre- destruction and genocide carried out by una redada antes del amanecer realizada élites militares y políticas hondureñas dawn raid carried out by heavily armed the Honduran political elites, transna- por hombres fuertemente armados con es descrito en detalle por Dana Frank en men wearing police uniforms, bullet- tional corporations, and narco-capital- uniformes policiales, chalecos antibalas su libro sobre el golpe titulado La larga proof vests, and balaclavas and using ists. Standing behind these three forces, y pasamontañas y utilizando autos sin noche hondureña. [Ver la edición de abril unmarked cars without license plates. supporting and enabling them, is US im- distintivos. En el momento del secuestro, de 2019 de Socialist Action para una re- At the time of the kidnapping, Honduras perialism. Honduras estaba bajo un bloqueo debido visión.] was under a lockdown due to COVID 19 Violence against environmental ac- al COVID 19 y solo la policía, el ejérci- Continúan los secuestros y asesinatos and only police, the military, and health tivists and the indigenous peoples of to y los trabajadores de la salud podían de activSegún Global Witness, 123 ac- care workers were allowed out of their Honduras accelerated, as documented salir de sus hogares. En el momento de by such human rights groups as Global redactar este informe, aún se desconoce Witness, after the June 28, 2009 polit- el paradero de los cinco y el gobierno se ical-military coup against moderately ha negado a responder a las demandas liberal Honduran President Jose Manuel de Amnistía Internacional y la Corte In- Zelaya. We use the term “political-mil- teramericana de Derechos Humanos de itary” to describe the coup because it dar información sobre su paradero. Los was not a simple military coup. Rather cinco eran líderes de la comunidad Garí- the political elites, including the Hondu- funa de Triunfo de la Cruz. La comuni- ran Supreme Court and the ruling party dad ha estado exigiendo que el gobierno in congress, moved against President y las corporaciones cumplan con un fallo Zelaya in conjunction with the military judicial de 2015 de la Corte Interamer- that provided the repressive force for the icana de Derechos Humanos de que se coup. Ruling class civilian control pre- les indemnice por el robo de sus tierras dominated. These types of political-mil- comunales que han sido utilizadas para itary coups, as opposed to a simple centros turísticos. old-fashioned military coup, are becom- Los garífunas son un pueblo afro-in- ing more common in Latin America. The dígena que fueron aplastados por los most recent one took place in Bolivia británicos en su natal San Vicente y las last year which ousted the democratical- Granadinas en la Segunda Guerra del ly elected government of Evo Morales. Caribe en 1795-1796. Los británicos ex- The role of the US in supporting the iliaron a muchos garífunas a la cercana coup and backing the Honduran military isla de Baliceaux, donde los británicos and political elites is described in detail mataron de hambre al menos a 2.800 by Dana Frank in her book on the coup garífunas. Miles de personas más fueron entitled The Long Honduran Night. (See trasladadas por la fuerza a la costa ca- April 2019 issue of Socialist Action for ribeña de América Central, donde los a review.) británicos tenían el control político. Al According the Global Witness, 123 ac- llegar en 1797, estos garífunas fueron tivistas habían sido asesinados por las U.S. imperialism is the force tivists had been killed by military forces reasentados por la fuerza en lo que ahora fuerzas militares o las fuerzas de segu- behind Honduras’s elites, or the private security forces of the rich es Belice, la costa caribeña de Guatema- ridad privada de los ricos entre el golpe between the June 28, 2009 coup and the la, las Islas de la Bahía de Honduras y la del 28 de junio de 2009 y finales de transnational corporations, end of 2016. The most prominent vic- costa norte, y la costa caribeña de Nica- 2016. La víctima más destacada fue Ber- and narco-capitalists. tim was Berta Cáceras. Cáceras was the ragua. ta Cáceres. Cáceres fue la ganadora del winner of the Goldman Environmental Los garífunas, junto con grupos camp- Premio Ambiental Goldman y líder de homes. As of this writing, the where- Prize and a leader of the Lenca struggle esinos y otros pueblos indígenas en Hon- la lucha Lenca contra proyectos hidro- abouts of the five are still unknown and against destructive hydroelectric proj- duras, han librado feroces batallas en las eléctricos destructivos en el occidente de the government has refused to respond ects in Western Honduras. Cárceras was últimas décadas contra la destrucción Honduras. Cárceres fue incluida en una to demands from Amnesty International placed on a corporate-military hit list ambiental y el genocidio llevado a cabo lista de objetivos corporativos-militares and the Inter-American Court of Human after the 2009 coup and was killed on por las élites políticas hondureñas, las después del golpe de 2009 y fue asesina- Rights for information on their where- March 2, 2016 in circumstances disturb- corporaciones transnacionales y los nar- da el 2 de marzo de 2016 en circunstan- abouts. The five were leaders of the Tri- ingly similar to the ones surrounding the cocapitalistas. Detrás de estas tres fuer- cias perturbadoras, similares a las que unfo de la Cruz Garifuna community. kidnapping of the five Garifuna leaders. zas, apoyándolas y habilitándolas, está el rodearon el secuestro de los cinco líderes The community has been demanding The Lenca people are one of the largest imperialismo estadounidense. garífunas. El pueblo Lenca es uno de los that the government and corporations groups of indigenous peoples in Hondu- La violencia contra los activistas am- grupos más grandes de pueblos indíge- fulfill a 2015 court ruling from the In- ras. bientales y los pueblos indígenas de nas de Honduras. ter-American Court of Human Rights The kidnappings and killings of ac- Honduras se aceleró, como lo docu- En 2018, cuatro activistas fueron ase- that they be compensated for the theft of tivists continues. In 2018, four activists mentaron grupos de derechos humanos sinados y en 2019 otros 14 fueron ase- their communal land that has been used were murdered and in 2019 another 14 como Global Witness, luego del golpe sinados. Dada su población de 8 mil- for tourist resorts. were killed. Given their population of 8 político-militar del 28 de junio de 2009 lones, esto convierte a Honduras en el The Garifuna are an Afro-Indigenous million, this makes Honduras the most contra el presidente hondureño mod- país más peligroso del mundo per cápi- peoples who were crushed by the Brit- dangerous country in the world per capi- eradamente liberal José Manuel Zelaya. ta para los activistas ambientales y los ish in their native Saint Vincent and the ta for environmental activists and indig- Usamos el término “político-militar” pueblos indígenas. [ver The Guardian, Grenadines in the Second Carib War enous peoples. [see The Guardian, July para describir el golpe porque no fue un 28 de julio de 2020.] in 1795-1796. The British exiled many 28, 2020.] simple golpe militar. Más bien, las élites Necesitamos una campaña de solidari- of the Garifuna to the nearby island of We need a campaign of solidarity for políticas, incluida la Corte Suprema de dad para las cinco víctimas, que incluya Baliceaux where the British starved to the five victims, including letters to the Honduras y el partido gobernante en el cartas al embajador de Honduras y a los death at least 2,800 Garifuna. Thousands Honduras Ambassador and to members Congreso, actuaron contra el presidente congresistas exigiendo la devolución de of others were forcibly removed to the of congress demanding the return of the Zelaya junto con los militares que pro- las cinco o, en caso de que hayan muerto Caribbean coast of Central America five, or, in the event they are dead as is porcionaron la fuerza represiva para el como es probable, una investigación y where the British had political control. likely, an investigation and trial of the golpe. Predominaba el control civil de juicio de los perpetradores. ¡Un agravio Arriving in 1797, these Garifuna were perpetrators. An injury to one is an inju- la clase dominante. Este tipo de golpes contra uno es un agravio contra todos! n forcibly resettled in what is now Belize, ry to all! n SOCIALIST ACTION OCTOBER 2020 4 Capitalist Justice: An Oxymoron?

By Malik Miah crimes against property do happen, this since the Civil War that ended slavery manded the ruling Democratic Party act. is not supported by the movement. None- and made former slaves citizens. It was Blacks were elected to office and rose to The decision of the Kentucky Grand theless, the media disproportionately tar- the bloodiest war in US history. other positions in business and academia Jury, a secret body, to not file murder gets these activities in their coverage. Malcolm X, in a 1964 speech, “The because of that mass pressure. It was a charges against the two white cops who The BLM movement is decentralized. Ballot or the Bullet,” explained why rev- non-violent revolution. killed Breonna Taylor, shows the United It is made up of local organizations and olution (the Bullet) is the answer to racist Malcolm X was assassinated in 1965. States legal system is criminal, unjust leaders. Its website, M4BL.org, lays oppression and to winning full equality A new Black middle class emerged in the and needs to be abolished and replaced. out its general positions and principles. for Black people: “This government has 1970s. But the inequality for the vast ma- During the midnight raid on their There is no support for violence. It is failed us; the government itself has failed jority of African Americans remains the apartment, Taylor’s boyfriend Kenneth President Donald Trump and his cohorts us, and the white liberals who have been same. The wealth gap between Black and Walker fired a single warning shot at the that invoke violence. The BLM move- posing as our friends have failed us. And white families has actually widened; the plainclothes cops, thinking they were in- ment is for peaceful, non-violent orga- once we see that all these other sources to average wealth of Black households has truders. The cops killed Taylor, who was nizing and the right to self-defense. In which we’ve turned have failed, we stop dropped from ten percent of the average sleeping. To the Kentucky Attorney Gen- addition, BLM seeks to isolate those who turning to them and turn to ourselves. white household to seven percent today. eral, it was a “tragedy,” but not a crime. commit violence. “America today finds herself in a Every social gain won, from school de- Hours before the grand jury’s decision, legendary musician Stevie Wonder released a seven-minute video on You- Tube, The Universe Is Watching Us, in which he said: “You say you believe that ‘all lives matter’. I say I don’t believe the fuck you do.” In the US, cops have total immunity for their murderous actions. Legally, it’s called “qualified immunity.” Whatever a cop does, including murdering an inno- cent person, is protected. Family demands transcripts Taylor’s family is demanding the release of the grand jury’s transcripts. The family’s lawyer Ben Crump said on Sept. 25: “There seems to be two justice systems in America, one for Black America and one for white America.” “What did Kentucky attorney general Daniel Cameron present to the grand jury? Did he present any evidence on Breonna Taylor’s behalf? Or did he make a unilateral decision to put his thumb on the scales of justice to help try to exon- erate and justify the killing of Breonna Taylor by these police officers? And in doing so, make sure that Breonna Tay- lor’s family never got their day in court. Release the transcript so we can have transparency.” Crump said the decision in Taylor’s case follows a pattern “of the blatant disrespect and marginalization of Black people, but especially Black women in America who have been killed by po- Historically, in mass demonstrations unique situation. Historically, revolu- segregation, to fair housing, to affirma- lice.” during the civil rights era, organizers had tions are bloody. Oh, yes, they are. They tive action programs, is in decline, erod- The legal system is rigged. The prose- marshals to help protect the marchers have never had a bloodless revolution, ed or has been overturned. cutor is the only person who presents ev- from the cops. or a non-violent revolution. That don’t Malcolm’s analysis remains true today. idence to a secret grand jury. The public happen even in Hollywood. You don’t Defeating Trump Key lesson has no idea who is a member of the jury have a revolution in which you love your or whether the victim of cop violence has The defeat of an authoritarian ruler enemy, and you don’t have a revolution The key lesson from the past and from her side presented. rarely happens through the ballot box. in which you are begging the system of months of mass protests is that reforms In most cases, the authoritarian figure exploitation to integrate you into it. are possible, whoever is in power, only if False equivalency makes sure the vote goes their way. “Revolutions overturn systems. Revo- those movements press forward. All violence before, during and af- Trump has never had the majority of lutions destroy systems. A revolution is To give Taylor and other victims of ter protests is not the same. The media popular support. He repeatedly says No- bloody, but America is in a unique po- murderous police and state-sanctioned makes a false equivalency whenever any vember’s presidential election will be sition. She’s the only country in history violence a chance for justice, the cops violence takes place. The implication rigged and a scam if he is not re-elect- in a position actually to become involved must be fired, prosecuted, and perma- is that if there were no protests, there ed. He says there will be no transition of in a blood-less revolution. The Russian nently removed. Justice requires that the would be no violence. It’s also incorrect power, only a continuation of his rule. revolution was bloody, Chinese revolu- current legal system be abolished and to say that violence, whether by the right He is prepared to use unauthorized election was bloody, French revolution was replaced. A new system must be created or police, is the fault of demonstrators. tion monitors at polling booths to intim- bloody, Cuban revolution was bloody, nationally from the ground up. The old When peaceful protesters are attacked by idate voters. and there was nothing more bloody than system, including its criminal proce- military-style police and Federal govern- the American Revolution. But today, this dures, must be eradicated. How is this possible? ment police, as seen in Portland, Oregon, country can become involved in a rev- Most liberals reject these solutions. any response to such police violence is The US Constitution never trusted the olution that won’t take bloodshed. All They believe there are only a few bad justifiable self-defense. people to elect the country’s leaders. It she’s got to do is give the Black man in cops and bad prosecutors, but the system Another type of violence is initiated includes a provision in a contested elec- this country everything that’s due him. itself is fine and just needs some tinker- by right-wing white vigilantes. They tion to send the decision to Congress via Everything. ing. They support public defenders for infiltrate peaceful demonstrations, as the Electoral College system, where each “So, it’s the ballot or the bullet. Today the poor, but little pressure is organized occurred in Minneapolis, as the George state, no matter the size of its population, our people can see that we’re faced with to fund them. Their focus is on electing Floyd protests began. They went to gets one vote. The Republicans control a government conspiracy. This govern- more progressives within the current Kenosha, Wisconsin, as “friends” of the 26 state legislatures (representing a mi- ment has failed us. It’ll be the ballot, or criminal justice system, with modest re- police. Their violence is blamed on the nority of voters), enough to give Trump it’ll be the bullet. It’ll be liberty or it’ll forms. peaceful protesters, who are called “an- a “victory,” even if he losses the popular be death. And if you’re not ready to pay A mass uprising is necessary to bring archists” and “terrorists” (or “antifa”). vote by a large margin. that price, don’t use the word freedom in radical change. Anything less will lead to Leaders of the Black Lives Matter move- In this scenario, defeating an authori- your vocabulary.” more Breonna Taylor killings and exon- ment are smeared as un-American. tarian president requires more than vot- The end of legal segregation and the erations for killer cops. The white mili- Police agents provocateurs initiate ing. The ruling class must fear rebellion expansion of voting rights 50 years ago tias, the far right and Trump’s use of the property vandalism during and after — mass actions that could overthrow the occurred after Blacks fought for decades state to stay in power means that a clear demonstrations, and the police blame it current system and implement radical to be recognized as equal citizens. The revolutionary vision is needed to defend on non-violent protesters. While petty reforms. It has not happened in the US right to vote came as mass marches de- and protect Black lives. n SOCIALIST ACTION OCTOBER 2020 5 (continued from page 1) proportions in the streets of the nation. Anticipating such a mobilization, the threatening Election Day coup plotter ...Trump Threatens Election Day Coup bigot Trump has announced his response in advance. He intends to interpret the staff to escort him and his family to safety largely aimed at Black, Latinx and Na- If and when Trump’s threat becomes a 1807 Insurrection Act as empowering into the bunkers deep beneath the White tive Americans communities, permeate reality, we see no alternative but the full him to deploy the U.S. military and fed- House. No doubt the cowardly Trump the U.S. election system. The Electoral national mobilization of all democrat- eralized National Guard troops to bru- felt a compulsion to counter his subter- College itself operates to undermine the ic-minded working people in the streets tally repress demonstrators across the ranean disappearance with an immediate right of the majority to decide the presi- to shut down the nation entirely, includ- country who insist on the constitutional display of “courage.” Milley and Esper dency. ing the closure of all government and right to peacefully protest and insist on soon after disassociated themselves from The fact that U.S. elections are large- corporate institutions via united and co- the right of the people to vote. Such were Trump’s mini-parade as well as his stated ly limited to the parties of the corporate ordinated strike actions and related mass Trump’s stated intentions a few months intention to invoke the Insurrection Act elite, that ballot access and access to the protests. ago when he called on his top general, to deploy the already assembled armed corporate media are similarly and se- Only an undertaking of this magni- Joint Chiefs of Staff Chair Mark Milley, federal troops. But Trump has never re- verely restricted, further testifies to the tude – deploying the mass power of the Secretary of Defense Esper and an en- treated from this threat. system’s base failings. No question, the people to insist that the election results tourage of government officials to - per Brute force and violence remain em- Democrats too, where they hold state be fully tallied and formally declared – sonally accompany him in a walk across bedded in the president’s contemplated and local majorities, regularly rig the can be realistically expected to compel Lafayette Square, adjacent to the White arsenal of repression as in his repeated electoral system to their advantage. Trump’s full retreat, not to mention his House, to St. John’s Episcopal Church threats to call in federal troops to repress President Trump’s Nov. 3 intended repudiation and punishment to the full for a one-minute photo op, bible in hand. anti-racist supporters of Black Lives measures to declare himself both the extent of the law. A few blocks away his National Guard Matter in Oregon, Wisconsin and else- official vote tabulator and president are U.S. capitalism today already faces a troops viciously gassed and brutalized where, not to mention his giving the high tantamount to a declaration of a per- crisis of legitimacy. Its inherent racism, thousands of peaceful protestors, includ- sign to overtly racist, neo-fascist groups sonal coup, that is, the abrogation of a sexism, compulsion to endless wars ing several media reporters. Assembled who thrill to his lending them legitimacy. fundamental democratic right enshrined and economic inequality, its mad rush on the outskirts of the city were federal Trump’s parallel efforts to retain the in the U.S. Constitution. Such an action to global warming catastrophe and its troops awaiting Trump’s call while Pen- presidency include defunding the Post can only be considered a Trump effort to incapacity to address the COVID-19 tagon helicopters flew low overhead to Office to limit the timely distribution and declare and establish a U.S. dictatorship, pandemic are magnified its twin parties intimidate the peaceful demonstrators. counting of mail-in ballots. His general- presumably to be backed by either the mired in an electoral shit fight. A few hours earlier, a frightened and ized support to voter suppression mea- Supreme Court and/or by his Insurrec- No to a Trump Coup Dictatorship! Pre- panicked Trump had ordered his security sures, if not the outright theft of votes, tion Act-deployed federal troops. pare to Shut It Down! Into the Streets! n

(continued from page 1) that make the bombs and make the planes and make everything else [would] stay Capitalism’s multiple crises ...Trump-Biden Debate happy.” Posing himself as a “peace can- go unmentioned didate,” indeed one who should win the (Capitalism’s rush to global warm- Nobel Peace Prize, the “moron” Trump ing-induced oblivion, its endless impe- ing, U.S. imperialism’s ever-expanding “The Great Deporter,” similarly filled his – the designation first coined by his for- rialist wars that slaughter millions and wars of intervention and domination, and U.S. detention centers to the brim while mer, now resigned Secretary of State and reduce nations to starvation and poverty, massive bi-partisan tax cuts for the rich, expelling a record-setting three million ExxonMobil CEO Rex Tillerson – calcu- its bi-partisan incapacity to deal with the accompanied by trillion dollar corporate immigrants. Trump followed in Biden’s lated that he might win a few more votes COVID-19 pandemic that has taken the bailouts. Why discuss these when there footsteps, while presenting himself as from the unwary, while assuming that his lives of 215,000 in the U.S. alone, went is total agreement? “the best president for Black people friends at the war industries would un- largely unmentioned. Its economic melt- derstand that his remarks were nothing down that has reduced countless millions more than campaign rhetoric. to economic destitution, massive unem- Trump’s Defense Secretary Esper hails ployment, loss of health care and to a from the Raytheon Corporation, a central daily life subjected to ingrained racist Pentagon contractor. Esper’s acting De- brutality and sexist and LGBTQI+ dis- fense Secretary predecessor hails from crimination, were essentially denied or the Boeing Corporation while Trump’s addressed with blame-placing retorts or Secretary of the Army came from Lock- vacuous homilies. heed Martin. One or two line pre-planned jibes say- Covid-19 super-spreader Trump ing nothing and aimed at scoring cheap debater’s points for the moment sufficed The moron Trump, posturing as vir- for both. Shakespeare said it well four tually immune from COVID-19, not to centuries ago, “It was a tale told by id- mention minimizing its deadly impact iots, full of sound and fury, signifying on millions, couldn’t resist denigrating nothing!” Nothing, that is, but hate, blus- Biden during the debate for regularly ter and platitudes uttered by strutting and wearing a mask. Prior to the debate – TV poorly coached accidental bit players set cameras focused on Trump’s crowded on a world stage for ninety minutes and White House Rose Garden ceremony, pretending relevancy at a time when the where he announced his Supreme Court world faces unprecedented crises, solu- nominee, Amy Coney Barrett. Pictures tions to which their bloody interests are of Trump’s widely photographed outdoor incapable of even the dimmest contem- ceremony, attended by 200 obsequious plation. flatterers, revealed that the vast majority Trump red-baited Biden for Bernie’s were not wearing masks or following so- “socialism,” with Biden running for the cial distancing guidelines. Invitees were hills proclaiming “I beat Bernie.” Re- seated in closely packed rows of chairs. Twin parties of racism and violence ferring to his party’s platform, devoid of since Abraham Lincoln.” The event was subsequently deemed a any mention of Sanders rhetoric, Biden Fox News moderator Chris Wallace Neither candidate proved capable of “super-spreader” by Dr. Anthony Fauchi, cried out, “I am the Democratic Party.” couldn’t resist throwing in a question uttering a word about the 42 million who director of the National Institute of Aller- Trump grinned with delight and said, to Biden as to why he had not called on have lost their jobs, many permanently, gy and Infectious Diseases. “You just lost the left.” Portland’s mayor and Oregon’s governor or the rigged unemployment statistics At least fourteen attendees were infect- To expect anything of substance from to bring in federal troops to crush “violent that put the real number of eligible work- ed. The moron Trump was hospitalized these crude representatives of the billion- protestors.” Neither candidate thought to ers without jobs at 37 percent. with COVID-19. Pumped up with a vari- aire elite is to live in a dream world of respond that the base sources of violence ety of steroids and Trump-claimed won- Overt and covert bigots illusion based on a “reality” created by and repression in capitalist society are der drugs, he emerged four days later their corporate media machines, where- the racist and institutionalized powers of No doubt growing elements of the bil- stating that he had not felt better anytime in we are daily advised via multi-million the police, ICE, Homeland Security, the lionaire elite, accustomed to financing in the last 20 years. All but “cured” and dollar TV bursts to choose between the FBI and associated groups whose func- one or another or both of capitalism’s deemed by his compliant medical team good billionaires and the bad billionaires, tion is to defend and maintain the repres- corporate parties, are today consider- ready to return to work, he was flown to between “lesser” evils and the “greater” sive capitalist status quo. ing taking their distance from Trump’s the White House where he tweeted some evils, between overt racists and covert Biden, who referred to police violence increasingly inflammatory declarations 50 inanities racists, between the abject supporters as the product of “a few bad apples,” ig- and actions. Rarely a week passes when And then addressed an instantly-as- and promoters of the military-industrial nored his own role in overseeing legisla- one or another Republican big wig or sembled cheering White House lawn and prison-industrial complexes and the tion that filled the nation’s increasingly fund-raising Political Action Committee crowd. His doctors refused to indicate abject supporters and promoters of the privatized, for-profit prisons to unprece- doesn’t announce support for Biden’s whether he has tested negative! Such is military-industrial and prison-industrial dented heights with millions of poor vic- campaign. capitalist politics in its highest expres- complexes. tims of social injustice jailed by the racist Trump’s Labor Day weekend state- sion in the U.S. today! By prior agreement both “debaters” “criminal justice system” and assigned to ment similarly enraged Pentagon tops Vote Socialist Action in 2020! Jeff agreed to leave out the life-or-death is- work at slave wages for Fortune 500 cor- that he charged with advocating war “so Mackler for President! Ann Montague sues of global warming, military spend- porations. Biden’s boss, Barack Obama, that all of those wonderful companies for Vice President! n SOCIALIST ACTION OCTOBER 2020 6 Fact-Checking the Liars: The Real Record of U.S. Imperialist War

By Jeff Mackler ly monopolized corporate news media zuela-bound ships delivering food and U.S. imperialist policies! And of Iran’s not only with regard to the utterances medical relief. The organization of CIA “preparing unilateral sanctions” against Joe Biden and Co. demanded an in- of lying and half-truth telling politicians operatives in Venezuela, recently caught its overt imperialist-backed transgres- stant fact-checker for his now-cancelled but with regard to more serious issues of red-handed, preparing to bomb Venezue- sors? How dare they defend themselves! October 22 second debate with President world import, as with the ongoing near lan oil facilities and vital infrastructure, Today the U.S. war machine imposes Donald Trump. I can only imagine how genocidal wars of imperial devastation went unmentioned in the corporate me- deadly sanctions, effectively acts of war, this would be implemented. Perhaps and conquest Two nations immediately dia. against 37 nations. By one count the with every lie, half-truth and distortion stand out today, Venezuela and Iran. The U.S. war against Iran and Iraq number of U.S. wars of intervention over enunciated by a debater, a flashing red Venezuela ranks first in the world in With regard to Iran, the now-admitted the past century is in the range of 700, light would appear, coupled by a graph- known fossil fuel reserves. Iran is not U.S.-sponsored assassination of Irani- but here’s a short list of several in the ic displaying a correction. Or maybe the far behind. In the 1950’s and ‘60’s, and an nuclear scientists has been the norm, past half century or so. experts will rig up a computer-generat- decades earlier and later, Venezuelan oil along with U.S.-Israeli bombing of Ira- U.S. wars of conquest and regime ed voice over, hooked up to a massive was largely owned by the Rockefeller nian nuclear research facilities at Natanz change machine that has been pre-programmed family’s fiefdom Standard Oil of New and elsewhere. Bombing with impunity! The CIA, secretly, and/or via the U.S. with all the knowledge accumulated Jersey and its ever-changing and increas- The January U.S. drone assassina- government directly, sponsored inva- since the beginning of civilization – ingly monopolized reincarnations, today tion near the Baghdad Airport of Major sions, insurrections, coups and wars in something akin to the IBM’s Deep Blue largely the ExxonMobil conglomerate. General Qassim Suleimani Iranian com- Korea (1950), Iran (1953), Guatemala chess machine that beat world champion Oil magnate John D. Rockefeller’s $1.4 mander of the Quds forces in Iraq, oper- (1954), Tibet (1950s), Vietnam (1954- Gary Kasparov on 1997? Just joking, of billion in olden-day money would be ating there at the behest of the Iraqi gov- 75), Congo (1960), Laos (1960), Cuba course. But not really. worth some $400 billion today, making ernment, was yet another U.S. imperial (1961), Peru (1962), Brazil (1964), Bo- Socialists have a habit when it comes his clan among the richest in the world. atrocity, compelling the Iraqi parliament livia (1964), the Dominican Republic to facts, especially “facts” of a political His heirs, especially Nelson Rockefeller, to subsequently demand that the U.S. (1965), Indonesia (1965), Ghana (1966), nature. We place them in historical con- appointed by Franklin D. Roosevelt, pre- military, still an occupying army, leave Guyana (1968), Cambodia (1970), Chile text so that they are not isolated from so- sided over U.S. policy in Latin America, their country. (1973), East Timor (1975), Argentina cial reality – so that they clearly reveal including orchestrating one after another That Iran dared to support the Iraqi (1976), Jamaica (1980), El Salvador the operative class forces that largely de- CIA coups that routinely installed dicta- forces resisting the U.S. imperial take- (1980s), Nicaragua (1980s), Grena- termine the course of human events. Karl tors whenever an errant nation happened over went unmentioned by the U.S. me- da (1983), Panama (1989), Yugoslavia Marx said it well: “The history of all to elect a president who even considered dia fact checkers. The overt blockade of (1999), Afghanistan (2001- 2020) Ec- hitherto existing society is the history of casting a questioning eye on imperialist Iranian shipping routes and U.S. mili- uador (2000, 2010), Iraq (1999-2003 class struggles.” Bourgeois fact-check- oil and other interests. tarization of Iran’s Persian Gulf seacoast - present), Honduras (2009), Libya ing may tell us who is the liar of the mo- The same for Iran’s oil. Following is similarly justified by the kept corpo- (2011), Egypt (2014), Syria, Yemen, ment but never who represents the class the 1953 CIA coup there, Iran’s oil was rate press. Somalia, Venezuela, Iran, Iraq, Nigeria, that has oppressed and exploited the vast largely transferred to U.S. corporate be- Yet, the September 19 New York Times Kenya, etc. (2012 to the present). I am working class majority whenever it ap- hemoths – its future control guaranteed blithely reported, “The Trump admin- certain that I have omitted several others. pears on the stage of history to demand by the hated Shah Reza Pahlavi dictator- istration is accusing Iran of “planning I am similarly omitting a full accounting its rights. ship installed by the U.S. after the coup. assassinations of American diplomats, of the multi-millions of lives taken when Limiting debate and ballot access Today, it is no coincidence that the U.S. announcing hacking indictments, prepar- each nation was subjected to U.S.-or- Of course, there are available measures embargo, blockade and sanctions against ing unilateral sanctions and denouncing chestrated regime change wars, inter- to democratize debates under capitalism Iran and Venezuela are aimed at keeping Tehran for interfering in the November vention and occupation. A few here will like allowing working class candidates their competitive fossil fuel resources off election.” Imagine that! The butcher suffice: Vietnam, four million murdered; to participate as opposed to restricting world markets, if not once again secur- U.S. imperialists, who orchestrated and Guatemala, 400,000; Korea, two million; debates to the candidates of the billion- ing their overt ownership and control by financed an eight-year bi-partisan war, Indonesia, one million; Syria, 500,000; aire-backed elite. The same with ballot U.S. corporations. Meanwhile, reducing the Iraq-Iran War of 1980-88, that killed Chile, 80,000, Argentina, 70,000; Laos/ access, severely restricted by onerous their populations to near starvation, their one million Iranians and 800,000 Iraqis, Cambodia, one million, Nicaragua, signature requirements that even when healthcare systems to near ruin and their are accusing Iran of “planning” the as- 80,000… met are routinely declared “insufficient” people bereft of vital food and medical sassination of U.S. diplomats. With few exceptions, notably revolu- by compliant judges, who impose mas- supplies aims at promoting demoraliza- That the Iranian government would tionary Cuba, the result has been the in- sive fines in the form of legal fees pay- tion in the population with the object of dare to announce indictments against stallation of regimes subordinate to the able to the attorneys of the twin parties garnering support for U.S. intervention CIA-backed hackers that gained access interests of U.S. imperialism. or to the state for “staff time.” Not long in the guise of “humanitarian assistance.” to Iranian computers and proceeded to The horror of capitalism’s compul- ago, a compliant California judge im- Need we add the recent overt organi- speed up and destroy Iranian research sion to subordinate everything human posed $242,000 in legal fees against this zation of a military coup against Vene- centrifuges and otherwise spy on every and beautiful in life to the exigencies of writer and a few others for suing to have zuela accompanied by the Trump admin- aspect of Iranian military and scientific corporate greed and profit will only end the names of our parties listed on the istration’s Democratic Party-supported endeavors, is unacceptable to the bully when a united working class takes the ballot when we had already qualified for appointment and official recognition of imperialists! Renowned whistle blow- stage of history aiming at the establish- ballot status. I was listed as “Jeff Mack- the right-wing Venezuelan crook Juan er Edward Snowden revealed that U.S. ment of a new society based on social- ler” only. In place of the space for party Guaidó as president? The overt U.S. agencies routinely spy on nearly every ist equality and freedom. Join Socialist affiliation, the judge ordered the ballot theft of Venezuelan oil revenues depos- nation on earth as well as on the entire Action! designation, “declined to state.”! ited in international banks went unchal- U.S. population. Joined at the hip with the U.S. Hands Off Venezuela, Iran and Imperialist horrors imposed on Vene- lenged by the world’s compliant, usually Democrats, Trump and Co. now accuse Iraq! zuela U.S.-controlled, banking establishment Iran of interfering with the U.S. elections Self-determination For All Poor and But what about fact-checking the high- as did the attempted blockade of Vene- by daring to publicly oppose and expose Oppressed Nations! n SOCIALIST ACTION OCTOBER 2020 7 Northern Lights News and views from Socialist Action Canada website: socialistaction.ca

Trudeau’s Throne Speech: Recycled Promises

NDP leader Jagmeet Singh with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in 2019. Photo: Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press

By Gary Porter ada and around the world. Instead, a massive program of public- The NDP should strive For capitalists expecting a fiscal an- ly-owned non-GHG-producing power On August 18, Prime Minister Justin to form a Workers’ chor or a swift path back to balanced generation and distribution grids, would Trudeau asked Governor General Julie budgets, the speech made it clear that produce vast numbers of high quality Payette to prorogue the Parliament of Government to “this is not the time for austerity.” Wom- and climate saving jobs. Canada until September 23, 2020. This en, racialized and young workers are a The Canada Emergency Wage Subsi- was not to reshape government prior- challenge the rule disproportionate part of the essential dy — which sees Ottawa cover up to 75 ities in light of major weaknesses in of the billionaires. workforce. They are hardest hit by pan- per cent of wages for eligible businesses our health care system revealed by the demic and recession. Trudeau and the which have lost revenue during the cri- Covid-19 pandemic, after 40 years of Liberals understand, as Morneau may sis — will be extended until next sum- brutal austerity. Nor was it to rectify the -- and they lost that opportunity to the not, that failing to provide some relief to mer. “The Government will work with gaping and growing inequalities in Ca- Liberals who ran on a more left-sound- such workers can result in rapidly grow- businesses and labour to ensure the pro- nadian society. It was done to put the WE ing platform. ing unrest and social disruption. So, the gram meets the needs of the health and charity scandal involving Trudeau and The NDP working class base deserves flow of remittances will continue, for economic situation as it evolves. This Finance Minister Bill Morneau on the a clear Workers’ Agenda as an alternative now. But there is no rollback of 40 years program to date has given $30 billion to shelf. It was done to resolve Trudeau’s to the capitalist pandemic failures, the of austerity. And the relief hovers at the 750,000 businesses with little account- differences with Morneau, a major Bay massive recession, climate destruction, level of the Low-Income Cut-off defini- ability and little effort to ensure job safe- Street venture capitalist. Morneau op- endless imperialist wars and cuts to the tion of poverty. ty. In some cases, recipients have taken posed extension of Covid-19-related public sector. The NDP should strive to Here are some key highlights. the money and laid off workers anyway. payouts, even though much of it is to form a Workers’ Government to chal- The speech promises that Liberals will Liberals are also committing to help big capitalists. The result was Morneau’s lenge the rule of the billionaires. help provinces and territories ramp up the bosses in several other ways: resignation. Instead, the NDP giddily crosses their COVID-19 testing capacity so that • Expanding the Canada Emergency Trudeau appointed Foreign Affairs class lines and pledges confidence in the Canadians are not stuck waiting in line Business Account; Minister, Chrystia Freeland, as the new arch-capitalist Liberal Party for extend- for hours. • “Improving the Business Credit Finance Minister. ing sick pay benefits to some categories The speech notes Canada has secured Availability Program;” Trudeau, Freeland and the manda- of workers not currently covered, and access to candidate vaccines and thera- • Bringing in supports for hard-hit in- rins of the PMO, presented their Throne for increasing the reorganized Covid-19 peutics while “investing in manufactur- dustries, including travel and tourism, Speech to the combined houses of Par- benefits to workers from the Throne ing here at home.” The government is and the arts. liament, read by the Governor General Speech amount of $400 weekly to $500 pledging to get vaccines to Canadians “Over the coming months, the E.I. sys- on September 23. It was a 6,800-word weekly. with investments to beef up its capacity tem will become the sole delivery mech- masterpiece of self-congratulation, lib- These changes are important to the for distribution. But these investments anism for employment benefits, includ- eral platitudes, shop worn promises and workers who benefit, but cannot com- are in profit-making private businesses. ing for Canadians who did not qualify clever deceit. pare to the massive handouts to business. Why are the vaccines not destined to be for E.I. before the pandemic,” it reads. This was enough to obtain the support All the neo-liberal austerity priorities public and free? “This pandemic has shown that Canada of NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, along continue, as do the massive corporate tax “The Government claims it will needs an E.I. system for the 21st centu- with one or two relatively minor conces- breaks, permissive offshoring of profits launch a campaign to create over one ry, including for the self-employed and sions to workers. The federal NDP has to tax havens, government support to the million jobs.” It turns out a major feature those in the gig economy.” steadily acted as a left pressure group on climate killing oil business and to the gi- is ramping up the federal infrastructure The government is promising an ac- the capitalist Liberals. The current Liber- ant predatory Canadian mining corpora- bank to invest billions in public-private tion plan for women in the economy, led al minority is an ideal scenario for these tions that pillage the countries of Africa partnerships designed to reduce risk for by a task force (talk shop) of diverse “ex- timid social democrats. Only once in its and Latin America. To vote confidence in private capitalists and increase their rate perts”, to ensure the pandemic’s legacy 60-year history has the NDP stood on the such a government is a stunning betrayal of profit through leverage, mostly de- is not “one of rolling back the clock on verge of forming a federal government of workers and oppressed people in Can- rived from workers’ taxes. (continued on next page) SOCIALIST ACTION OCTOBER 2020 8 Northern Lights from Socialist Action Canada Unite to Build a Revolutionary Eco-Socialist Workers’ Party Open Letter to a Leading Green Socialist

Dear Dimitri Lascaris, Paul stated that you should not be al- party. This can be done by appealing, Paul, who did not even acknowledge You waged an amazing campaign that lowed to remain in the contest. She de- in concert with Socialist Action, to the the sizeable vote attained by Dimitri rallied thousands of people to Eco-so- nounced your position on Palestine as most progressive sections of the labour and Maryam, shows that she will be cialist ideas. That is a testament to your redolent of anti-Semitism, a trope of the movement and the radical socialist pub- even less tolerant of the left than former consummate skills as a superb organizer Zionist apartheid camp in world politics. lic. Together, let’s host a big conference leader Elizabeth May who denounced and an articulate proponent of radical so- Socialist Action believes that pro-cap- to discuss how to launch a revolutionary and blocked the BDS policy, and openly cio-economic change. italist policies are a toxic dead end. The Eco-socialist workers’ party. raised funds for Paul’s leadership bid. In the end, the Green Party selected one election of Paul re-affirms the pro-cap- What do you say? There is no denying that the fight for of the most conservative, pro-capitalist italist character of the Green Party of Comradely yours, socialist policies in the NDP is difficult. candidates who contended to be its next Canada. It will never be a socialist, ecol- Barry Weisleder, Federal Secretary, What makes it worthwhile is the fact that Leader. In her post-victory statement, ogist, working class party. Socialist Action / Ligue pour l’Action it matters. The NDP is a mass, working and in interviews with the mass media, The working class, in order to rescue Socialiste class party, strongly linked to the labour Annamie Paul emphasized her identity humanity and the environment from the movement in English Canada. Without and her personal zeal for politics, instead imminent global capitalist catastrophe, the leadership of class-conscious work- of highlighting her specific policy ideas. requires a revolutionary socialist party to An Important Postscript ers, there can be no socialist transforma- That is likely because her ideas conform help to organize and lead the fundamen- tion of society. The Green Party, with no to the tired old GP outlook on private tal change that is so urgently necessary. The Green Party establishment recently organic ties to workers’ organizations, ownership of the economy, not to men- changed the rules governing internal pol- What is to be done now? does not represent a break with Bay tion its somewhat mixed but general sup- icy debate -- severely limiting the scope Street and the corporate establishment. port for Ottawa’s pro-imperialist foreign Dimitri, I respectfully submit that you and substance of what can be discussed It constitutes a retreat from independent policy. should not squander what your energetic at GP conventions. That was done to pre- working class politics, at best a populist Paul, a liberal-minded civil liberties campaign accomplished by staying in the vent a recurrence of the process that in diversion, even if led by left wing social lawyer, won with 12,090 votes to your GP and by serving as a ‘loyal’ opposition 2016 resulted in adoption of a pro-BDS democrats who seek to re-regulate Capi- 10,081 votes, after eight rounds of ballot to Annamie Paul and the embattled, eth- policy. Those who joined the GP to vote tal and shift the tax burden. counting. ically-challenged establishment within for you, Dimitri, will not stay to engage A revolutionary Eco-socialist workers’ The result highlights the sharp divide it. They will exert every effort to control in a long, bitter, grinding war against the party, one committed to the expropri- in the Green Party between right and left. and to mute you. It is hard to imagine, conservative elite of a capitalist party. ation of Big Oil and Gas, big business The magnitude of the left vote reflects for example, how you can continue to And any Green Party member who ad- and the banks, under democratic work- the global mass radicalization, especial- lead the work of the Disruption Network vocates a vote for NDP, independent, ers’ control, is urgently needed. Time is ly of young workers, stemming from the while remaining a prominent member of or Liberal candidates, ‘Eco-socialist’ or very short to effect the radical change combined economic, health and environ- the bourgeois electoral GPC. otherwise, is likely to be expelled. Re- essential to the survival of nature and mental crises of late capitalism. Now is the time to call on your radi- member, Maryam Haddad was briefly civilization. Those who recognize that The gap between Annamie Paul and cal support base to leave the bourgeois removed from the GPC leadership race fact should strive now to bring together you, in policy terms, seems huge. More- Green Party and join in the construc- simply because she criticized the Green Eco-socialists to discuss how we can go over, at one stage in the leadership race, tion of a genuine revolutionary socialist Party of British Columbia. Annamie forward together. n ...Trudeau’s Throne Speech

(continued from previous page) left crying in their excrement for hours. Canadians — have raised their voices to “address systemic inequalities” in all “The Government remains commit- and stood up to demand change,” the phases of the criminal justice system, in- women’s participation in the workforce.” ted to a national, universal pharma care speech reads. “They are telling us we cluding sentencing, and enhance civilian The Liberals are promising to do more program.” The government says it will must do more. The Government agrees.” oversight of law enforcement agencies, to create affordable childcare by learn- “accelerate steps” with the provinces to Do more? What have the white colo- including the RCMP. ing from Quebec’s universal model, in- achieve the system by establishing a na- nial rulers done so far? Racists complain The Liberals promise to modernize troduced in 1996, and to “work with all tional formulary to keep drug prices low. about the current expenditure levels on training for police, including “standards provinces and territories to ensure that There’s no word of the dollars committed indigenous peoples without ever men- around the use of force.” We’ve heard it high-quality care is accessible to all.” or target dates, much less nationalization tioning that the value of land and re- all before. The whole system is endemi- There’s been nothing but talk for 24 of Big Pharma. Don’t hold your breath. sources stolen from them vastly exceeds cally racist. Socialists say: De-fund, dis- years. “The Government will immediately the paltry hand outs they get back. arm and disband the racist cops, de-crim- “The Government will… identify ad- bring forward a plan to exceed Canada’s Among other things, the government inalize drugs and phase-out the prisons. ditional ways to tax extreme wealth in- 2030 climate goal.” The government has says it will accelerate work on the na- Indigenous people under UNDRIP equality.” In what might be music to the repeatedly made this commitment, and tional action plan responding to the calls have the right to self-determination. ears of NDP MPs, the Liberals say, not keeps falling farther behind. Govern- for justice from the National Inquiry Turn the entire process of policing, court for the first time, that they want the rich ment legislates, and profit-driven pollut- into Missing and Murdered Indigenous and redress of wrongdoing over to the to pay more. The speech says the gov- ers pollute. Women and Girls, and the implementa- indigenous people. Release Indigenous ernment will “limit the stock option de- Though the throne speech may not tion of the calls to action from the Truth prisoners into Indigenous hands. Get the duction for wealthy individuals at large, have had the focus on climate change and Reconciliation Commission. Mere racist cops off Indigenous lands. established corporations,” and take on that some deluded souls were hoping words. The white rulers have always Trudeau’s throne speech once again “corporate tax avoidance by digital gi- for, Liberals have promised to create made big promises and delivered little. does what the Liberals do best. They ants.” The stock option deduction should thousands of jobs retrofitting homes and Liberals also say they will introduce mention the major issues, sound sympa- be cancelled outright. buildings and to make zero-emissions legislation to implement the United Na- thetic, offer studies, task forces and pif- “The Government will work with Par- vehicles more affordable. But there’s tions Declaration on the Rights of Indig- fling reforms and do nothing substantial. liament on Criminal Code amendments no word on tackling the giant oil and enous Peoples before the end of 2020. Instead they spend billions on fighter to explicitly penalize those who neglect gas corporations. Trudeau promised a To tackle systemic racism, the gov- jets, war ships, subsidies to business, and seniors under their care.” hodgepodge of incentives to capitalists ernment is promising “better collection leave enormous wealth in the grip of the Older Canadians in privately-owned to make it profitable enough for them not of disaggregated data,” an action plan to capitalist class. Despite this, they got the seniors’ residences died at four times the to kill us all. Why are we wasting time increase representation in the public ser- support of the Jagmeet Singh leadership rate of seniors in public homes. The solu- on this when publicly-owned, democrat- vice, and “action on online hate.” Useful, of the NDP. tion is obvious. Expropriate the private ically-planned climate control measures but a trifle in relation to needed restitu- Want meaningful change? Join the care centres. can be implemented at far less cost, more tion. Socialist Caucus and fight for socialist Military medical staff blew the whistle efficiently, and without increasing the Acknowledging the over-representa- policies and leadership in the NDP. Join over the shameful conditions in some pri- wealth gap in Canada? tion of Black Canadians and Indigenous Socialist Action and fight for a Work- vate facilities, which included cockroach “Many people — especially Indige- peoples in the criminal justice system, ers’ Government, for workers’ power, infestations, force-feeding and residents nous people, and Black and racialized Liberals say they will present legislation Eco-socialism and feminism. n SOCIALIST ACTION OCTOBER 2020 9 SEIU Drop the Cops: For a Union Without Police!

By Marc Rome & Ann Montague more propitious than in recent memory: ing to Montague. The president replied, million in union dues that they plan to a recent Gallup poll showed that 65% of “The question has been asked, and they spend on electing Biden/Harris, who are Ann Montague is Socialist Action’s 2020 respondents approved of unions, a high are leaving.” By August, PSU announced pledging $300 million more for the po- candidate for Vice President of the Unit- point of a steady increase in support that they were disarming their police and lice. ed States. . She is a longtime SEIU trade since the Great Recession ten years ago. creating a “Reimagine Campus Safety While “The Squad” – Democratic con- union activist in Oregon and a founder Committee,” which Disarm PSU de- gressmembers Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez, Disarm PSU of SEIU’s Lavender Caucus. manded be created by the very coalition Rashida Tlaib, Ilhan Omar, and Ayanna Ann Montague, from Local 503 in Or- that they led. Pressley--and a host of other Democrat- SEIU Drop the Cops, a rank-and-file- egon and one of the authors of this arti- ic Party politicians have signed the No Resolution by CIR to Drop the Cops led group of SEIU members and staff cle, spoke about the Disarm PSU cam- Cash From Cops pledge “to reject polit- demanding that their elected leadership paign at Portland State University, where Keriann Shalvoy, a member of SEIU ical donations from the Fraternal Order disassociate from police union affiliates, armed campus police were represented Committee of Interns and Residents, the of Police,” they’ve left open, it seems, held an online Town Hall on August 30, by SEIU. The union protected their be- largest housestaff (physicians and - sur the possibility of receiving money from hosted by Labor Notes. It featured four ing armed through collective bargaining, geons in specialty training at a hospital other police unions. There’s no mention rank-and-file members who were joined an issue that divided the local. Campus who care for patients under the direc- of the International Union of Police As- by Hamilton Nolan, a labor journalist for police, already notorious for racial pro- tion and responsibility of attending staff) sociations (AFL-CIO) nor the National In These Times magazine, among other filing, were given arms by a decision of union in the United States, discussed her Association of Government Employees publications. the board of trustees in 2014. This deci- how her 13,000 member local passed a (an SEIU-affiliated union that organizes Over 100 people attended the event, sion was opposed, according to a campus resolution in August to disaffiliate from police). and the video on Facebook has received poll, by a majority of PSU students, fac- police unions. Only two members of The Squad, Tlaib more than 2000 views. ulty, and staff. Shalvoy, having served for 2 years in and Pressley, support a proposal by the Opening remarks by frontline nurse Movement for Black Lives to introduce and Local 1021 member Marina Stan- a dead letter bill, the BREATHE Act, to kov-Hodge, who facilitated the event, set defund the police. It has yet to be offi- the tone. She envisioned a truly demo- cially introduced into Congress, and has cratically run society and evoked the hu- virtually no additional support. If these manity of this struggle to create a “more and other so-called “progressive” Dem- just and verdant world” without police. ocrats never receive a dime from cops, SEIU organizes about 37,000 law en- would it matter? Every single Demo- forcement, 15,000 of whom are sworn cratic Party politician has effectively and civilian staff in police departments, endorsed a system of more policing with according to a recent response from the their unified support for the pro-cop union to a Request for Information made Biden/Harris campaign. This points up by the rank and file. an important contradiction and limitation Julia Wallace, a member of SEIU 721, in at least the way CIR’s second demand began by contextualizing the disaffilia- is worded, which is similar to the fourth tion campaign against the backdrop of a demand that SEIU Drop the Cops also highly polarized society in which white adopted (go to seiudtc.org for a full list supremacists are mobilized, armed, and of demands). have killed peaceful protesters with po- How, in the months and years ahead, lice supporting their racist terror; mean- this rank and file movement will orient while, “we have one of the largest and to the Democratic Party’s pretended re- most dynamic movements in the histo- sponsiveness to the anti-racist, anti-po- ry of the United States, the Black Lives lice movement is part of an ongoing dis- Matter movement.” Wallace in 2016 cussion. As a dynamic formation, SEIU brought a disaffiliation resolution to Lo- Drop the Cops will likely grapple with cal 721’s Black Caucus and Latino Cau- the evolving socio-political landscape cus, the former passing it unanimously; opened up by the mass movement that in the latter, there was much debate, put police abolition, an arguably revolu- during which a former organizer in the tionary demand, on the agenda. 1980s Justice for Janitors campaign in Labor Journalist Leads Disaffiliation L.A. recalled being beat up by the police Campaign in Union at a picket. Fast forward 30 years, and Rayshard Brooks is killed by Atlanta po- Hamilton Nolan, a leader in the Writ- lice, and, “the police who murdered him ers’ Guild of American East, rounded are protected by our union, SEIU,” said out the discussion. His articles in various Wallace. “That’s completely antithetical press were among the first to publicize to the workers movement, and complete- Continued organizing led to a student the CIR House of Delegates and also his 7000 members’ disaffiliation resolu- ly antithetical to the union movement protest at a freshman convocation, con- running for national president of her lo- tion, which passed unanimously! WGAE and to Black people and the Black com- vened by the campus president, where cal on the progressive/reform slate Hous- is the historic first AFL-CIO union to munity who are continually harassed and activists chanted “somebody is going to estaff for a Democratic Union, highlight- take this position, aimed at the affiliated assaulted by police.” She characterized a get killed!” Tragically, this was a fore- ed some main points of the resolution: 1) International Union of Police Associa- future labor movement that hearkens to a boding cry: in 2018 Jason Washington, “SEIU disassociate from police and oth- tions. principle seemingly forgotten: an injury a Black man, was killed by two campus er unions representing repressive work- He encouraged other unions to try to one is an injury to all. So when police, police, who shot him 17 times with- forces like ICE, border patrol, and cor- passing similar resolutions, even if they who are not workers, kill a Black person, out warning. Their racist execution was rections officers.” 2) “Our Local Union’s don’t pass at first attempt. There’s value all organized labor stops working. deemed justified by a grand jury. COPE (Committee on Political Educa- in union leaders being on record taking Wallace elaborated on the group’s five In the years before this too familiar sto- tion) must not endorse any candidate for a position, and continuing to escalate guiding demands, which were voted on ry of cops getting away with murder, stu- public office who accepts donations from and pushing the issue relentlessly, he after nearly a month of internal discus- dents and faculty organized a walkout in police unions, or, for public office with said. If left up to union leadership, they sion and debate. The group’s primary 2016, numbering 400 students, escalat- budgetary powers over police or crimi- would “sweep it under the rug, and not and central demand is to expel police, ing the Disarm PSU demand. Later that nal justice system budgets who fails to be forced to take a position, and if they “including law enforcement officers, jail year, the coalition grew to include PSU pledge cuts to police budgets and support don’t take a position,” urged Nolan, “run and prison guards, probation officers, and Ethnic Studies and community activists, instead housing, healthcare, and non-po- for leadership positions in your union.” armed security officers from the union.” including Portland BLM and Jobs with lice responses to psychosocial issues.” He also recalled his June interview The demand also ties into the group’s vi- Justice. (This is not an exhaustive summary. To with SEIU President Mary Kay Henry, sion, she explained, to orient to the tens In June, on the second anniversary of read the entire resolution go to www.cir- in which she said, “We have to consid- of millions of unorganized workers who Jason’s murder, a large rally led by his seiu.org) er expulsion of police from the labor mobilized during the May/June George widow and daughters called for a new The latter demand excludes endorse- movement as a possibility. She said this Floyd protests. A goal is to not just drop petition to Disarm PSU police and to fire ment of a number of Senate and Con- was a ‘which side are you on’ moment,” the cops, but to reinvigorate unions by his killers. gressional Democrats and Republicans, alluding to a class principle which, for organizing this movement led by Black By July, around the time of the SEIU as well as both presidential candidates, the most conscious workers, means one people and Black women, in particular, J20 Strike for Black Lives, a rank-and- who have pledged millions more for the must choose a side: you’re either with and composed of multiracial, multi-gen- file member asked the president ofLo- police and received money from police workers or you’re with the police. dered, and immigrant workers. The tim- cal 503 if “we’re finally going to see the unions. This demand alone disavows ing for such an ambitious union drive is PSU police leave our union,” accord- SIEU International Union’s use of $150 (continued on page 11) SOCIALIST ACTION OCTOBER 2020 10 Greece: Golden Dawn Fascists Jailed ...SEIU Drop “The antifascist movement will remain in the streets!” the Cops

Statement by OKDE Spartakos, Greek section of the Fourth International (continued from page 10)

situation wherein the anti-fascist move- Reflecting on SEIU Drop the Cops’ de- ment matured impressively and today mands around the necessity to organize holds out great hope for the future. As the unorganized, Nolan pointed to a union OKDE-Spartakos, for decades and long movement in steady decline. In terms of before the Golden Dawn became an of- percentage of workers unionized, it has ficial parliamentary party – we had un- gone from 35% in 1955 to 6% today. Ac- derstood the fascist phenomenon well, cording to Nolan, if unions keep going at with its historical special features. We this rate they are “just going to die. This highlighted, to the best of our ability, the issue [of police union disaffiliation] is so urgent need to organize against it but far important for that because the exact peo- from the logic of inter-class “democrat- ple we’re trying to bring into the labor ic” fronts, that is, political alliances with movement are the same people who have capitalist parties as opposed to the independent organization and mobilization of broad working class forces. The only antidote to

Photo: Yorgos Karahalis/AP Yorgos Photo: Our political contribution to the un- decimated workers’ Thousands denounce Golden Dawn fascists outside the court building in Athens. derstanding of the fascist phenomenon and our many years of consistent par- unions and strengthened A colorful river of humanity flood- [references to the previous and defeated ticipation in the ongoing mass protests police unions is a militant ed Athens and all the cities of Greece “left” SYRIZA government’s capitula- were critical. Today, OKDE-Spartakos is on the morning of October 7, marking tion to the European Union’s imposition an organic part of this promising broad mass union movement the conclusion of the anti-fascist move- of severe austerity measures and its inca- movement that came together to defeat ment’s success in pressing Greek court pacity to mobilize mass opposition in the Golden Dawn. and a workers’ party. action to jail murdering neo-Nazis gang streets, Ed.] only succeeded in enabling The historic victory of the October 7 leaders. The victory reflected what had the Nazis to appear as those who fight mass anti-fascist mobilizations opens that immediate reaction of ‘aren’t you already been won in the streets and in “against all.” Worse still, the marked in- up new possibilities for the working all the ones that represent the cops?’” the consciousness of the vast majority of stitutional tolerance by the SYRIZA gov- class movement in general. It is obvious He gave the example of the AFL-CIO the Greek working class and youth: The ernment and the delay in conducting the that the New Democracy government, Twitter in which many responses to their fascist Golden Dawn was formally con- trial served as wind in the sails for the seeking to present itself as a guarantor Tweets are, “aren’t you all the ones who demned as a criminal organization. Nazi gang. of “democracy and normalcy” will put have the cop unions?” Clearly, “this is a Tens of thousands of workers, mem- forward the rhetoric of the “horseshoe stumbling block,” he continued, “when United front-based anti-fascist move- bers of trade unions and political organi- theory,” the twisted notion that there is a you talk about ‘we want to grow the la- ment zations, unemployed, immigrants, youth convergence between the interests of the bor movement, we want to bring in all and anti-fascists had erected a political The condemnation of Golden Dawn radical working class left and reactionary the people that are in the streets these and physical wall against fascist barba- was exclusively a conquest of the work- anti-working class right. new people,’ that’s not going to happen rism and put an end to a historic cycle, ing class-based anti-fascist movement. A as long as we have to answer for what Government attacks Oct. 7 Athens sending the Golden Dawn and its off- few years ago, the Nazis seemed invinci- police unions are doing.” mobilization shoots to prison and to the junkyard of ble and powerful on the streets and in the Nolan also raised an important issue history. neighborhoods. But the conscious role The repression and dispersal of the about how public sector unions will like- The fighting spirits of Pavlos and of the political organizations changed October 7 rally in Athens demonstrates ly be affected should limits be imposed Sahzad [slain anti-fascist rapper Pavlos the relationship of forces. Their strate- that the government cannot tolerate tens on police unions, who are part of the Fyssas and Pakistani anti-fascist activist gies and tactics focused on the need to of thousands of anti-fascists celebrating public sector. This raises a serious po- Sahzad Luqman, Ed.] were with us, but build a united front-based anti-fascist the condemnation of the Nazis. The fight litical question, the answer to which can also the Jews of Thessaloniki and Ioanni- movement, including the formation of against racism and reactionary national- be clarified by viewing the class nature na, the murdered of Kalavrita and Vian- anti-fascist committees and assemblies, ism remains relevant and important. Af- of Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker’s nos, the heroes of Kokkinia and Kalogre- mass mobilizations, and even physical ter the crushing of Golden Dawn we will union-busting decree in 2011. While za stood and shouted with us. [references confrontations to defend against the ev- continue to organize to crush the policies crippling public sector unions, it left po- to courageous anti-fascist fighters in er-threatening Nazi gangs. An important of extermination of refugees and immi- lice unions untouched. If a poisonous an- WWII-era Greece, Ed.]. It was a clear role was played by lawyers pursuing grants and the nationalist ideas of Greek ti-union, pro-cop political system can si- class victory, a victory absolutely ours. civil litigation in the courts. The class greatness, including its need for geo- multaneously decimate workers’ unions instincts in the working-class neighbor- graphic expansion and its pursuit of an and strengthen police unions, a militant Massive, multi-faceted anti-fascist hoods and workplaces, the anti-fascist re- arms race against Turkey and elsewhere. mass union movement combined with struggles flexes of the youth, the collective memo- The fight against sexism and patriarchy a party based on that movement is the The Neo-Nazis were not condemned ry of the wartime atrocities of the Nazis, and against the various so-called “indig- antidote. Extracting police unions from thanks to the government’s alleged the mass democratic sentiment that still nant” far right-wing forces, which will the House of Labor would be the logical democratic character. Mitsotakis’ gov- excites the majority of the people every try to fill the gap left by Golden Dawn, outcome of this class struggle potential- ernment, like Samaras’ government be- year at the anniversary of the revolt of is ongoing. There is no time for rest, but ity and a necessary step toward building fore it, was forced to sever its blood ties Polytechnic University, all combined to neither is there time for pessimism. Hu- working class union power unlike any- with the Nazis and drag them to court create a completely different political manity’s bright future is before us! n thing seen in this country’s history. n under the pressure of the massive and multi-faceted anti-fascist struggles that, especially after the assassination of Fys- sas, escalated into an avalanche in every Like our newspaper? Subscribe! city and neighborhood across the country. New Democracy [the Conservative Go to: socialistaction.org/subscribe Greek party in government today, Ed.] was not suddenly interested in cleans- or use the mail-in box below ing society of the fascist murderers, who for so many years acted undisturbed and with the open support of the police, fi- r $5 for 6 months r $10 for 12 months nancial support from shipowners and bosses and from the sanitizing reportage Name ______Address ______of the corporate media. The bourgeoisie feared that the anti-fascist movement might develop into a generalized class City ______State ______Zip Code ______uprising, and thus they decided that it could not at that stage invest in overt fas- Phone ______E-mail ______cist endeavors. Neither were the neo-Nazis condemned by the cowardly, institutional r I want to join Socialist Action! Please contact me. anti-fascism of SYRIZA. The constant invocation of bourgeois democracy and Clip and Mail to: Socialist Action Newspaper normalcy, especially in conditions of memoranda and depreciation of par- P.O. Box 10328 Oakland, CA 94610 liamentarism and the political system, SOCIALIST ACTION OCTOBER 2020 11 SOCIALIST ACTION Breonna Taylor: A Nation of Laws, Not Justice Jahi Chikwendiu/The Wash ington Post Wash Jahi Chikwendiu/The Protestors demanding justice for Breonna Taylor rally outside the Justice Department on September 23.

By James Fortin crash through a neighbor’s home. Feel- ly laws, pro-cop District Attorneys and Phillip Stinson, a criminal justice pro- ing the obvious injustice here of the kill- judges, and by the behavior of the cops fessor from Ohio, has documented about The following article is based on a ing and the legal absolution of the cops, themselves. 1,000 police killings a year in the U.S. report given to the Socialist Action at- tens of thousands around the country Investigations are drawn out, giving Over the past 15 years, a mere 121 of- large branch meeting on Sept. 28, 2020. have poured into the streets in protest to police ample opportunity to get their sto- ficers have been arrested for murder yet another cop extermination of a Black ries and alibis together. Once in court, stemming from on-duty killings. Of the As socialists we know that the laws of human being. the police know what to say: that they 85 cases concluded to date, only 44 have a capitalist nation are written to support That millions of people may think the were in fear for their lives and the killing been convictions, more often than not on and defend the institutions of the eco- actions of the cops are murderous mat- was justifiable. If witnesses are brought a lesser charge. nomic system, and the interests of the ters not. That the Chief of Police has been into the courtroom, they simply are not Powerful police unions with friends in class in power. fired because of the event is secondary. given the same credence from judges and Congress and state legislatures, and tens Laws are touted by the supporters of That the City of Louisville has already prosecutors as the testimony from a cop. of millions of dollars paid in settlements the capitalist order as defacto evidence agreed to a $12 million wrongful death Police, on the other hand, are usually over police killings of Black, Latinx and of the system’s superiority to all other settlement with Taylor’s family is incon- taken at their word. Indigenous people, keep a lid on doing challengers. We are a nation of laws, sequential. The legal system has sprung Although there were witnesses to the anything serious about police misrule. you know. The problem is however that to the defense of the uniformed killers in night of Breonna Taylor’s murder that We should not expect Joe Biden, if elect- while the U.S. may be a nation of laws, it blue. Attempting to divert attention away say the cops never identified themselves ed, to push for any meaningful curtail- is not a nation of justice. from the crime that the cops perpetrated, before forcing their way into the apartment of police gangsterism, while Don- In the murder of Breonna Taylor, Lou- the Attorney General of Kentucky called ment, the District Attorney believed the ald Trump openly encourages it. isville cops peppered her body with six the protesters a mob. cops, who said they did give notice. In After the election, all the reformists deadly rounds, while she was in bed after He stated, “If we simply act on emo- any event, according to the prosecutors, will no longer have a solution to the midnight, in her home, and had commit- tion or outrage, there is no justice. Mob Breonna’s boyfriend fired first, even if he problem as they see it, i.e., the election ted no crime. Battering down her apart- justice is not justice.” thought he was defending himself, and of Joe Biden and Democrats. Whether ment door after their no -knock warrant The real mobs at work in Kentucky that settles the matter – the cops could they win or lose, the murders will con- had been invalidated, the cops were fired and in most of the country, however, are kill. tinue. upon by Taylor’s boyfriend in apparent not the victims and are not the demon- In a statement from the Movement What only will stay the hands of the self-defense, thinking this was a home strators in the streets protesting Breon- for Black Lives, it was pointed out that cops is continued, growing public out- invasion. The cops responded with hails na’s murder. It’s the police, who kill with “Grand Juries indict 99.9 percent of the rage, led by mass actions in the streets of gun fire claiming that because they impunity and with no remorse. time, meaning prosecutors have tremen- against the brutality, ultimately leading were fired upon, their attack was legally The reality in America today is that dous power in what they choose to pres- to the formation of class-based organi- justified. very few police officers are ever charged ent. When Grand Juries do not indict, it zations of the oppressed and their allies After review by the Kentucky Attor- with the killings that occur on their is often because of a lack of will on the in the working class as a whole who are ney General, no charges were brought working shifts. And of those very few part of the state,” and that appears to be awakened and act on the need for sys- against the police for her killing. Only 1 who are charged, even fewer are convict- the case here, where the Attorney Gener- temic change. To assist in this historic of the officers faces a charge — wanton ed. This is due to a system that is geared al is a protégée of Mitch McConnell and class responsibility is our mission as a endangerment — for having his bullets to supporting the police through friend- a rising star of the right wing. revolutionary socialist Party. n SOCIALIST ACTION OCTOBER 2020 12