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Freedom as •Draft:. foitllirJilPlMi^lst: P§fif||€tive$s. 2000-2001- workers and The search for new paths to Marx see it by B. Ann Lastelle freedom vs. the destructive News & Letters published Raya Dunayevskaya's 1961 lecture notes on Hegel's Smaller Logic, the first part of his Encyclopedia of the Philosophical Sciences, in three parts ending with the June issue. I noted in drive of global capital Dunayevskaya's quotes from Hegel's work two "defini­ tions" of freedom: "For freedom it is necessary that we News and Letters should feel no presence of something else which is not ourselves" (Chapter Two: Preliminary Notion, 524); and Committees publishes the "...we become free when we are confronted by no Draft of its Perspectives absolutely alien world, but by a fact which is our second Thesis each year directly in self (Chapter Four: Second Attitude of Thought the pages of News & Towards the Objective World, p8). , Letters. As part of the Karl Marx's analysis, and my experience, of labor in preparation for our upcom­ the capitalist production process reveal the absolute ing national gathering, we opposite of Hegel's idea of freedom. Marx wrote in the urge your participation in "Alienated Labor" section of his 1844 Economic and our discussion around this Philosophic Manuscripts as if he had been working thesis because our age is in beside us in the factory: such total crisis that no rev­ "First is the fact that labor is external to the labor­ olutionary organization can er—that is, it is not part of his nature—and the worker allow any separation does not affirm himself in his work but denies himself, between theory and prac­ feels miserable and unhappy, develops no free physical and mental energy but mortifies his flesh and ruins his tice, workers and intellectu­ mind. The worker, therefore feels at ease only outside als, '"inside" and "outside," work, and during work he is outside himself... philosophy and organiza­ "His work, therefore, is not voluntary, but coerced, tion. We are raising ques­ forced labor. It is not the satisfaction of a need but tions and ask you to help in only a means to satisfy other needs. Its alien character working out the answers. is obvious from the fact that as soon as no physical or Los Angeles janitors on strike in April. other pressure exists, labor is avoided like the plague- Finally...the activity of the worker is not his own spon­ taneous activity. It belongs to another. It is the loss of I. Global capital's impact on the human subject his own self." How many times have we said to one another, "I did­ Korea which appears increasingly willing to accommodate n't want to come in today, but I need the money"? It is' A. Clinton's legacy: a new itself to Western powers. The summit represented such a not an inner drive for creativity or self-expression that dramatic shift in North Korea's stance that South Korean propels us into action while at work, but the demands of President Kim Dae Jung declared shortly afterward that the production process: a machine jams or breaks down, nuclear arms race? "the threat of war has disappeared" from the Korean supplies run out, a quality standard is not being met. peninsula. Yet the administration tried to downplay its Even the small satisfactions which might be gained Were it not for its long-range implications for the entire importance out of concern that such talk exposes the hol- (Continued on page 3) future of U.S.-Russian relations and global politics as a lowness of its rationale for missile defense. whole, one could dismiss the June 3-4 Moscow summit Russia, like China, senses that the U.S. missile plan is between Bill Clinton and Russia's Vladimir Putin as little really directed against itself. It fears it could be a first step Black World more than a photo-opportunity for a lame duck president. toward developing a more elaborate missile defense sys­ However, since the summit centered on Clinton's effort to tem which would give U.S. rulers the illusion they could promote a U.S. "defensive shield" against nuclear mis­ inflict a nuclear first strike against any adversary without Last siles, which threatens to set off a new nuclear arms race, fear of retaliation. the summit Russia is already responding by taking steps to mod­ has far-reach­ ernize its offensive nuclear capacity. China announced on words of ing implica­ May 10 that if the U.S. goes ahead with the missile tions that will defense it will "significantly expand" its nuclear forces. Shaka Sankofa be with us There is little question that Russia and China are in no long after position to match the U.S. missile for missile in any new Editor's note: This month I turn over Black World to Clinton leaves arms race. Yet even a modest growth in their nuclear arse­ excerpts of the final statement of Shaka Sankofa (Gary office. nals can have a dramatic effect on world politics. China Graham) just before he was executed in Tocos, June 22. The sum­ now has 18 ICBMs capable of reaching the U.S., but it has Sankofa's murder by the state of Texas was the 135th dur­ mit contained a stockpile of fissionable material capable of building ing the five-year tenure of Governor George W. Bush. It is barely a men­ 2,700 additional nuclear warheads. If China increases its estimated that Bush will put to death one man a week tion of the nuclear arsenal, India, its rival, will as well. And Pakistan between now and election day. Bush hopes to bring this style U.S. occupa­ will do the same to match India. of "compassionate conservatism" to the White House. Shaka tion of Kosova Since India and Pakistan almost went to war over Sankofa's last words from Death Row are a powerful indict­ or Russia's Kashmir last year, and shelling continues along their bor­ ment of this state-sponsored genocide, words that put genocidal war der, the threat of nuclear war is no abstraction to those in "American civilization" on trial and found it guilty. A luta against South Asia. India is the one place in the world at the continua. —Lou Turner Chechnya. moment with a growing anti-nuclear weapons movement. The U.S. long Insane as is Clinton's effort to carry on the mantle of I would like to say that I did not kill Bobby Lambert.. ago made it Reagan's "Star Wars," it pales in comparison with what is That Fm an innocent Black man that is being murdered. clear that it in store for us should Bush win the election. He is attack­ This is a lynching that is happening in America tonight will do noth­ ing Clinton's missile-defense plan—for not being exten­ There's overwhelming and compelling evidence of my [inno­ ing to get in sive enough! Led by Jesse Helms, the Republicans are cence] that has never been heard in any court of America. Russia's way calling for a much larger missile defense system, even What is happening here is an outrage for any civilized on Chechnya, though it has never been proven that it is technologically May Day 2000 in Vancouver, British even though country. Columbia. feasible to shoot down incoming missiles. That this would I thank all of the people that have rallied to my cause. Putin's forces entail tearing up existing arms-control treaties, does not They've been standing in support of me. They have finished have killed tens of thousands of civilians there. Clinton bother the Republicans in the least. with me. instead tried to convince Putin to agree to his plan to build The Republicans showed their colors earlier this year I say to Mr. Lambert's family, I did not kill Bobby a $60 billion anti-nuclear missile "defense" system. Putin when the Senate voted down the nuclear test ban treaty— Lambert. You are pursuing the execution of an innocent refused, arguing that it would seriously undermine the man. 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty. ' (Continued on page 5) I want to express my sincere thanks to all of yall. We It is not hard to see why Putin was unconvinced by must continue to move forward and do everything we can Clinton's argument that a missile shield is needed to pro­ ON THE INSIDE to outlaw legal lynching in America. We must continue to tect the U.S. from missile attacks by "rogue states" like stay strong all around the world, and people must come North Korea. After all, North Korea, like Iran, is at least FROM THE MARXIST-HUMANIST ARCHIVES: THE together to stop the systematic killing of poor and innocent a decade away from being able to build an ICBM that WRITINGS OF RAYA DUNAYEVSKAYA Black people. could even reach the U.S. • Revolutionary dynamic of Hegel's thought Page 4 We must continue to stand together in unity and to Moreover, the impact of the historic June 14 summit IN MEMORIAM • Willie Rudd: Black, southern demand a moratorium on all executions. We must not let between leaders of North and South Korea has made it labor fighter ....Page 3 this murder/lynching be forgotten tonight, my brothers. We hard for even Clinton administration spokesmen to (Continued on page 10) explain why a missile defense is needed against a North LETTER FROM AFRICA « Eritrea and Ethiopia at war-Jag* 10 Page 2 NEWS & LETTERS JULY 2000 Woman as Reason Five years after Beijing, women question UN's limits by Terry Moon abortion heterosexist coalition of 60 groups claimed that better laws and stronger enforcement. the "West" was "pushing homosexuality and abortion Twenty-five years after the first' International Although the Beijing+5 UN Conference, just conclud­ 'rights' on unwilling countries..." Ignorance of the issue Women's Year Conference in Mexico City in 1975, and ed in New York City, was convened to measure the was apparent when the Nigerian Minister said, "How five years after Beijing, many women activists know the progress women have made in five years and put in place can you be talking of lesbianism in Nigeria? Rubbish!" nature of the UN and their always "non-binding" docu­ deadlines to ensure further development, all who partic­ She, and all those who claim that lesbianism is not ments. They recognize the need to go beyond them. This ipated were oppressively aware of the ground women indigenous to their countries, were answered by Phumi could be seen in a speech by Gina Vargas, founder of the lost worldwide since the 1995 landmark UN Conference Mtetwa, a South African who said: "I am an African Peruvian NGO Flora Tristan. She looked at the years in Beijing, China, woman. I am also a lesbian. I have fought for the human between Beijing and Beijing+5 and wrote: "The advances The reality that women face is deadly and getting rights of all people. Why must I be forced to choose when achieved during these years are due basically to the con­ worse. We now know that half the world's women and I should have my human rights?" Even with such a spir­ stant fight of the movements and their NGOs. If Beijing girls are brutalized, most often by someone close to ited defense, and Mtetwa was not alone in her struggle, was conceived and assumed as a common ground for all them. It is in every country, on every continent. That lesbians lost ground when the language calling for the the women around the globe, not as a limit to the aspi­ actuality is seen in Bangladesh, where attacks with acid repeal of all laws criminalizing homosexuality was rations ofjustice , equality, and liberty of women, we our­ thrown into the faces of women and girls has increased stricken from the PFA. selves must not [impose] this limit." from 47 in 1996 to over 200 in 1998; in India, where over That many women of Beijing+5 refuse to be bound by 6,000 women were burned alive in 1997 because their TWENTY-FIVE YEARS OF STRUGGLE the "non-binding" UN documents, that they refuse to put dowry was considered too small; in Russia, where 12,000 What became oppressively evident is that the UN any limits on women's freedom, reveals them as women die every year from domestic violence. So-called channeled the struggle into one over the language of Revolutionary Force and Reason. What is always key is "honor" killings are also on the increase in Pakistan and the final document. The idea is that a strong PFA will what the movement will do after these conferences are Yemen. give women a tool to use to fight their governments for In the U.S. over the past five years, the incarceration over. rate for African-American women has jumped 826% due to racist, punitive drug laws. When in jail, women suffer rape at the hands of guards, and "health care" so poor Message from Zimbabwe Women Worldwide that many die unnecessarily. Since 1996, nine million by Mary Jo Grey poor parents—many single women—have lost their Editor's Note: Below we print a communication we Medicaid coverage and been thrown deeper into poverty. received from the Musasa Project, a women's liberation Despite this lethal reality and the urgency to move group that has fought for women to be able to inherit land, forward, no one was sure whether Beijing+5 wouldn't about the situation of women and children in the midst of end up being a place where women's rights would be the election turmoil in Zimbabwe. rolled back further by the concerted effort of what came We really need your emotional support now, more than to be called the "Unholy Alliance": Algeria, Libya, ever before. So far a lot of abuse was perpetrated against Jordan, Iraq, Poland, Iran, Nicaragua, and Pakistan, women and children (families in general) as people were with the Vatican at the head. intimidated, harassed, beaten up, homes were burnt Nevertheless, new elements emerged at this meeting including food storages, grains, agricultural seed, clothes of 10,000 participants divided between delegates from and a lot of other personal properties. 189 countries and 1,200 non-governmental organiza­ Women were particularly vulnerable as they bore the tions (NGOs). brunt of beatings, rape and torture, either because the NEW VOICES VS. RETROGRESSION husbands were involved in politics or simply because they could not challenge the youth and the marauding war vet­ It was not only new realities that came up for discus­ erans. Ultimately, women got involved as they had to sion, such as opposition to globalization or how the nurse badly beaten husbands and sons, or were raped and spread of HRf/AIDS disproportionately affects women; beaten if the abusers couldn't locate the men. but new subjects of revolution challenged the UN to take Amid Africa's worsening economic crises, market More than 12,000 families were displaced. Some were women in Lagos, Nigeria protested, June 12, against their lives and thoughts seriously: fleeing the terror in the rural areas, whilst some had to • Immigrant women in the U.S. demanded their inclu­ an increase in fuel prices. leave after their homes were burnt down. The latter group * * * sion "within national and international forums for is the one with the most blatant need since the elections women's rights, where our voices have traditionally been do not guarantee a violence free village life and they do not The outrageous verdict against Dr. Flora Brovina, ignored or denied." have homes to go back to. ethnic Albanian Kosovar human rights activist and fem­ • Indigenous women from 25 countries used Beijing+5 These people need extensive counseling; rape victims inist, was overturned by Serbia's Supreme Court in as the place where they formed a new organization, the need medical examinations; they also need material sup­ June, and her case returned to a lower court for review. Indigenous Women's International Forum, and protested port starting from food, clothes, building materials, seed She had been convicted of "terrorism" last December the reduction of references to indigenous issues since the for the planting season and household property since they .and sentenced to 12 years in prison. Dr. Brovina is 1995 Platform for Action (PFA). have to start from scratch. founder of a women's rights organization in Kosova that • Widows from Nigeria, the U.S., Britain, Vietnam, Currently, a number of families are housed in safe hous­ provided health care to women and children during the and Zimbabwe decried the fact that widows "are notice­ es that were rented out by Zimrights and the National Serb war against Kosova. able only by their absence" from the PFA, and demand­ Constitutional Assembly (a coalition of civic organiza­ The non-profit Women on Waves Foundation, started ed to be seen as part of the worldwide Women's tions). Some good Samaritans have allowed displaced fam­ Liberation Movement. They pointed out that in countries in 1999 by Dutch Doctor Rebecca Gomperts, is trying to ilies to use their backyards so NCA and Zimrights have raise $1 million to purchase and equip a ship, and strongly affected by AIDS, wars, or "ethnic cleansing," had to hire out tents but seeing as it's winter in Zimbabwe "as many as 70% of all adult women may be widows." another $500,000 a year to operate it as a floating med­ right now, there is a need for blankets and clothes. Most ical clinic providing reproductive health services for • Women Peacemakers made their first explicit people just flee without anything. They just had the appearance and highlighted their new role in women, including abortions. The ship would pick up clothes they were wearing. pregnant women seeking abortions in the ports of call of Guatemala, Israel, and now Burundi—where women So any support that you may put together will be most Tutsis and Hutus are talking together. countries where abortion is illegal and perform the pro­ welcome. We may also need financial resources for litiga­ cedure in international waters. The clinic would also While these new voices challenged the UN to deepen tion, especially for rape victims who are likely to have been provide contraceptives and sex education, as well as what women's freedom means, they were not able to stop infected with the AIDS-HIV virus. Warm regards, abortion and contraceptive training for local medical retrogressionist forces. At a volatile meeting an anti- Guide Dube personnel. At least 25% of the world's population lives in Revolutionary Afghan women speak 54 countries that ban or severely restrict abortion. Chicago — The name Afghanistan has come to mean widows are reduced to beggary or prostitution. But some Latina mothers protest police a country where women are hated by their government, prefer suicide to these occupations; thus the rate among a place where females are beaten and starved for minor both women and men has climbed. Ms Saba told of a for­ Chicago—Predominantly Latina mothers and their infractions of the Taliban's concept of Islam. mer teacher who killed himself after seeing his children families gathered in Riis Park Saturday, June 24 to save Afghanistan's human tragedy was reported by two rep­ begging. the lives of their sons and husbands from Chicago's bru­ resentatives of RAWA (Revolutionary Association of Men are fired for going to a foreign school, trimming tal police and corrupt courts. One cop was targeted as Women of Afghanistan), Sehar Saba and Sajeda Hayat, beards, or for having worked for the Russians. Those the leader in the number of frame-ups in Chicago Police at a forum on June 10th. who fled to Iran are in hard labor, regardless of their Department's Area 5. In fact, a federal investigation of RAWA was established in 1977 under the inspiration education or their potential to make a positive contribu­ Area 5 hasi shown the fixing of 50 cases. Organizers of of Meena, its now martyred leader. In 1979 the Russians tion to society. Comite Exigimos Justicia have conducted their own backed liberal parties in Afghanistan, sent in troops, and Hayat, the second speaker, explained the origins and investigation and found at least 12 young men have promised women's liberation. But, according to Saba, the functioning of RAWA. She said Meena, thier founder, been framed for murders they did not commit. Soviets had no idea how to liberate women within the warned of the danger of the fundamentalism before the One Black woman whose 15-year-old son was framed context of Islamic spirituality. In addition the brazen Russian intervention. Nevertheless, RAWA sided with by cops told how the police got her to sign a statement, Soviets and their puppets killed 13,000 dissidents. the Mujahadeen against the Russians. while she was intoxicated, on her son's whereabouts. In the meantime, the United States and Saudi Arabia Both women said that there is no way to work with the Her boy is now serving a 50-year sentence for murder. each devoted $3.2 billion to back and train seven of the fundamentalist parties. Revolution is the only alterna­ She held back her tears while repeating three times, 15 fundamentalist parties whose goal was to overturn tive. The Taliban has done nothing for the people. They "I'm here to save my son's life." She stopped and the Russian rulers. All the fundamentalists were against think democracy doesn't fit the people of Afghanistan. changed what she said to, "No. I'm here to save every­ women, democracy and civilization, Saba said. The hid­ Incredibly, some foreign nations think it would be a good body's sons." den agenda was Western countries' interest in building a thing if the fundamentalist parties united. "Can you There w&s a real sense of community and movement pipeline across Afghanistan. imagine?" Hayat said. at this demonstration organized by women whose fami­ In 1989 the Russians were ejected, and the funda­ Hayat decried the fact that foreign governments rec­ lies have been torn apart by this system. One youth mentalists took over. The fundamentalists were even ognize the Taliban as legitimate rulers. Nations should who had been shot by police and permanently disabled more criminal than their Soviet predecessors, said Saba. place political sanctions on the Taliban and all countries before they locked him up for 10 months went to the In the first few days they banned all females from radio that support them. Bring the leaders to international mike to thank everyone who fought for his release and and TV and required Islamic dress of everyone. Then, court for crimes against humanity, she said. to say "I love you" to the crowd. It was especially won­ without ordering women off the streets, they instigated a During the discussion the women were asked about derful to see him alive and free due to the movement's campaign of violence and terror. Every day there were the unifying ideas that have kept RAWA together for work in the wake of losing Shaka Sankofa (Gary stories of abduction, rapes and beatings. more than 20 years. The question stymied them. Graham) earlier this week. Today, the Taliban, the most recent and most vicious Resistance has been their unifying force. But the work of The expanse of the movement's struggle was also deep­ faction, controls 80% of Afghanistan, and has banned RAWA speaks to human development. More than 20 ened by a speaker from the Anti-Gay-Bashing Network, laughing, sports, festivities and recreation, use of the years of oppression by a reactionary government has who was warmly received, and by two SEIU members, word "woman," music, non-Islamic names, birds" as pets done nothing to change the humanness of the Afghan who spoke while dressed in their union T-shirts. Their and kite-flying. Disobedience is interpreted as political people. RAWA can be reached at www.rawa.org. local actually cleans the Area 5 police station. resistance. Because almost all professions are forbidden, —January —Sonia Bergonzi JULY 2000 NEWS & LETTERS Page 3 Willie Rudd, union and civil rights fighter! Delta Pride guts contract Indianola, Miss. — Delta Pride, the largest catfish We mourn the death and honor the memory of Willie and sophisticated anti-union lawyers as they went to plant in the world, has found a new method of exploit­ Rudd, who devoted his life to the struggle for workers' the aid of workers in Mississippi and rural west ing workers. Delta Pride is located in the deep rights in the South. Brother Rudd died of a heart attack Tennessee. At Hood Furniture, in Jackson, Miss., work­ Mississippi Delta with about 700 workers, 80% of whom on June 20 at the age of 55. The list of positions he held ers waged an 11-year-long battle for a Local 282 con­ are Black single mothers. In 1986 they fought this com­ was long: President of Furniture Workers/IUE Local tract. For a decade, they maintained their shop floor pany, owned by 178 white farmers, to stop its planta­ 282 in Memphis, Tenn.; President of the Furniture organization even after the International signed them tion-style mentality and to demand dignity, respect, Workers Division of IUE nationally; Vice President, to a sweetheart deal with another local. and better working conditions on the job. Memphis AFL-CIO Labor Council; IUE National Hood workers wrote in N&L: "We voted for Local 282 One contract clause we fought hard to achieve is Boycott Director. But he was not a because it is an organization that man of "positions." experience pay, which management has targeted. The fights for its members and supports contract states that an employee who leaves Delta In an era in which all too many them, and because we learned to Pride and returns within three years can, after proba­ union officials practice a self-serv­ trust and believe in its president, tion, receive the pay their past years of service in the ing "business unionism," Willie Willie Rudd, an independent Black catfish industry have earned them. Rudd was a militant fighter who man." The Hood workers' struggle believed passionately in developing has drawn support from civil rights The company says it cannot find workers in the rank-and-file leadership. In the organizations across the South. area to work, but this is not true. The experience poorest, most racist and most viru­ pay is one reason this company refuses to hire At Willie Rudd's funeral, experienced workers back. lently anti-union environments, he Memphis Central Church was launched campaigns against power­ This May Delta Pride officials asked permission from packed with workers and friends. the Indianola Area Planning Commission to put trailers ful corporations. In an overwhelm­ Management at the Sealy plant ingly white international union, he on their land to house migrant workers. This company offered to let stewards off from work intends to place six trailers on its property just about a was a Black union leader who was to attend the funeral, but when they not silent in the face of racism with­ took a tally of all the workers who mile away, where the smell from the plant is terrible, in "the house of labor." wanted to attend, they realized and put eight workers in each four-bedroom trailer. Local 282 became legendary in there wouldn't be enough workers to They will demand that they work every day—sick or the South for being more than a run production. The plant was whatever the circumstances—or they'll be shipped back union; it became a movement. For closed in his honor. to Mexico. The reason this company is using Mexicans is for many workers in Tennessee and Ida Leachman, interim president Mississippi, Willie Rudd was, quite cheap labor, and they think they will not complain of Local 282, asked that all who about anything because they do not want to be sent simply, "the best union leader in the want to donate money to honor country." home. The company thinks that the Mexican workers' Willie Rudd make donations either goal is to work at any cost and in any conditions so that Born in Sardis, Miss., Rudd came Willie Rudd, 1944-2000 to Local 282, 3275 Millbranch Road, to Memphis as a child. In 1963, Suite A, Memphis, TN 38116, or to they can send money back to support their families. while working at National Bedding, a mattress plant, he chapter of the A. Philip Randolph Delta Pride is following in the footsteps of other cat­ the Memphis fish factory owners who have brought migrant workers joined Furniture Workers Local 282. A rank-and-file Institute, 4950 Tiergarten, Memphis, TN 38109. leader in the 1965 strike there, he was elected chief into the facilities and pay them less money. It is their "But the most important thing you can do," she said, strategy to pit the migrant workers against the Black steward at the plant. "is to help finish the unfinished tasks he left us, orga­ As the labor movement in the South was transformed workers. Black workers are protesting this decision nizing the unorganized here. That means boycotting made by the Planning Commission, not because of any under the impact of 1960s civil rights struggles, Willie Sears to support Local 282 workers at Sears' Olive Rudd became a volunteer union organizer. In the late bias, but because they know that these workers will be Branch, Miss, warehouse, who have been negotiating used to replace them, and used in ways to break the 1960s, he often traveled far from Memphis to help work­ for a first contract for over a year." Brother Willie Rudd ers in poverty-wage, predominantly Black plants win a contract or keep it from being more radical in the will be deeply missed, but the struggles he waged will be future. union. In 1975 he was elected president of Local 282. carried on. —Michael Flug Black women, always a large proportion of the union's The more migrant workers they bring in, the membership, became leaders in the local in the 1970s. less *he workers within the community will be Ida Leachman, Aletha Baptist and Everlena Yarbrough hired. We, as workers, took a stand against this led organizing campaigns. Rank-and-file women con­ Workshop Talks company to build this company into a place ducted contract negotiations. Willie Rudd encouraged where workers have a voice. But this company this new leadership and often insisted that in union (Continued from page 1) will hire workers even more exploited to try and struggles, "it's the women who are important." from solving problems on the line are thwarted by man­ turn it around. They plan on treating the Mexican The bitter 1977 Memphis Furniture strike marked agement's drive for productivity and cost savings. workers even worse than they do us. the new kind of union Local 282 had become. It was as Marx, in his more "scientific" analysis of the capital­ Several years ago I visited Tijuana, Mexico, and much a civil rights crusade as a strike. Rudd exposed ist production process, Capital, continued to emphasize talked to the workers about their inhumane treatment, the owners' vicious racism and publicly traced their the alien, external nature of that process. Workers are including the 14-year-old rape victims who had been ancestry to prominent slaveowner families. Dozens of brought together by the capitalist who purchases their locked in the plant at night and raped by the foreman. community organizations rallied to support the work­ individual labor powers: This is what the Mexicans want to change by coming ers; Coretta Scott King returned to Memphis to speak at "Their unification into one single productive body, here, but this is the same treatment that bosses inflict­ a mass meeting at Mason Temple. The workers won a and the establishment of a connection between their ed on all workers until we forced them to stop. contract. individual functions...are not their own act, but the act I told them about the way we were treated and what In the 1990s Local 282 had to fight runaway shops of the capital that brings them together and maintains we did to change our situation. This move that the them in that situation. Hence the interconnection Delta Pride owners have made to hire the Mexican between their various labours confronts them, in the workers shows their desire to continue to keep all the realm of ideas, as a plan drawn up by the capitalist, workers under their thumb. We have to find a way as INS as company enforcer and, in practice, as his authority, as the powerful will of Black and Mexican workers to not lose control of our destiny. We must fight in unity to keep our humanity. Chicago—Immigrant workers spoke out for total a being outside them, who subjects their activity to his purpose" (Chapter 13: Co-operation). The Delta Pride workers have to get the Mexican work­ amnesty for undocumented workers at a Midwest AFL- ers to focus on how we were treated in the past and get ClO-sponsored conference on June 3. Among the speakers The purpose of which Marx speaks is the production were three workers who spoke of their struggles to organize of surplus value, profit, and the accumulation of capital. them to join forces with us as workers in unity to keep against employer abuses. —J.O. We workers come into the factory with a different goal: our dignity and respect. —S. Hamer Housekeeper: The general manager at Holiday Inn to earn a living. Management uses various tactics to Express in Minneapolis took us to INS a week before nego­ subject our activity to its purpose: the manipulative, in tiations started in retaliation for organizing a union. He other words, process improvement and employee Company picnic and lockdown took us to a room and INS met us there and arrested us. involvement schemes; the financial, that is, raises and Michigan, City, Ind. —On June 14, the Indiana We were in jail for seven days. promotions (My supervisor's favorite claim is, "It will State Prison, Michigan City, held their "officer appreci­ The union fought against the employer and the com­ look good on your performance review;"); the despotic, or ation day" picnic on the prison grounds. This is an munity, supported us all the way. After a federal investi­ disciplinary measures up to and including termination. annual event, the "company picnic" where the prison gation, the employer was found guilty and fined $72,000 Over all hangs the threat that if we as a group do not staff members bring their spouses and children to the in compensatory damages for doing that to us. produce the requisite profit, the line will shut down, the prison for the usual fare (hamburgers, hot dogs, etc.) Laundry worker: Many of my co-workers at Hospital plant will close, we will lose our jobs. The people who with games and contests for the kids to play—including Laundry Services in Chicago know what it means to be decide what the requisite profit is and how we are to a dunk tank—and kiddie treats like popcorn and bal­ mistreated or fired because of being undocumented. If produce it—what products with what machines on what loons. employers think the social security numbers of workers schedule—are far, far away from the reality of the shop There is something seriously wrong with this con­ are invalid, they fire them, then rehire them later. The floor. cept. The prison staff brings their families to the prison reason is simple; they rehire them at minimum wage and Marx described that reality this way: "...within the to celebrate and honor the abusers that bring torment without benefits. The employers don't care if the workers capitalist system all methods for raising the social pro­ and denial of liberties imposed on the convicted ones. have years of experience. ductivity of labor are put into effect at the cost of the Being in the shadows of the prison walls and all the It is possible to improve conditions. You can see that in individual worker; all means for the development of atrocities they hide is cause for a party, and they get to our union, UNITE. production...become means of domination and exploita­ tour the prison. Factory worker: When it comes to safety, our employ­ tion of the producers; they distort the worker into a In one cell house, while the tour was present, a med­ ers care more about equipment than about workers. When fragment of a man, they degrade him to the level of an ical emergency occurred. A stretcher was quickly OSHA inspectors came to this medical equipment factory appendage of a machine, they destroy the actual content brought in and the patient was wheeled out getting oxy­ in Chicago, management handed out respirators, then of his labor by turning it into a torment; they alienate gen. This was a very impressive show for the tourists. took them back after the inspection. from him the intellectual potentialities of the labor The old man has asthma, and has an episode about When they had to shut down dangerous operations for process in the same proportion as science is incorporat­ every 10-14 days. Never before did he get a stretcher. a day, our employer denied us worker compensation ed in it as an independent power; they deform the con­ But then, never before was there a civilian audience. because he knows we cannot challenge him in court. When ditions under which he works, subject him during the On other occasions, he was just walked to the infirmary. a worker gets close to the time when some meager benefit labor process to a despotism the more hateful for its meanness..." (Chapter 25: The Accumulation of Capital). It should be noted that on this day the prison was will be offered, he's told to bring in a new social security closed down to other operations. The inmates were card and he's rehired as someone else, without benefits. Marx's perspective for the future was the absolute locked up and given a cheese sandwich and a piece of During slow periods, we are not laid off by seniority, but opposite of the accumulation of capital and the misery of fruit for the noon meal. (Question: Is the tax money by favoritism and whether some have work papers. Those the working class. His 1875 Critique of the Gotha they saved by not feeding the cons, the money they used with work papers go first while day workers stay. Anglo Program envisioned a classless society where "the to pay for the party, since the food didxome from the workers are getting double, sometimes triple pay for the enslaving subordination of the individual to the division prison dining room?) same work as we do. We trained them, so it's not about of labour, and therewith also the antithesis between While the civilians venerated the staff and the inhu­ experience. You're paid according to skin color and immi­ mental and physical labor, has vanished," and "labour manity they inflict, the inmates were denied access to gration status. has become not only a means of life but life's prime their families and loved ones. People coming in for vis­ We had a union election this Wednesday. Our employer want." Labor is no longer forced; it becomes an expres­ its were turned away. No advance notice had been given has promised some and threatened more. If there's anoth­ sion of our human creativity. That is an idea of freedom so inmates could tell their families. worth fighting for. er amnesty period, employers would treat us better. —Michigan City prisoner Page 4 NEWS & LETTERS JULY 2000

From the Writings ofRaya Dunayevskaya MARXIST-HUMANIST ARCHIVES Revolutionary dynamic of Hegel's thought under the Universal by reading the Absolute into it week I give an entirely different set of definitions, and "like a shot out of a pistol." the following week I tell them to disregard them all. Editor's note At the REB I gave examples of Universal, All I can say is, first, just read over the hell, the liter­ In preparation for the upcoming Convention of Particular, Individual in relationship to money as the al hell, Hegel gives the whole concept of definitions in News and Letters Committees, we are exploring universal medium of exchange and commodity as the Vol. II of the Science of Logic, pp. 436-60 [Johnston and anew this summer the historic-philosophic relation concrete unit of wealth, which hides less the dual char­ Struthers trans., MacMillan, 1929], and yet, hold tight of philosophy and organization. As part of our study acter of labor than does glittering money, but never­ to the fact that all this devastating criticism comes just and discussion of the contributions made by theless contains the whole fetishism which Marx so a few pages short of the climax of the work on the Marxist-Humanism to this important problematic, masterfully exposes as the ideology of capitalism. And Absolute Idea. In a word, he is opposed to the method we reprint here a letter written by Raya I contrasted that to the labor which Marx considers the of definitions because nothing, in thought or in action, Dunayevskaya to a colleague in News and Letters essential, not only in its degraded stage under capital1 can be fenced into a definition, and yet definitions are Committees, Glga Domanski, in February 1961 one of the stages—or that takes up the relation between dialectics and more correctly, processes organization. The letter was written in the period in of getting to know a cate­ which she wrote her "Notes on Hegel's Smaller Special Summer Offer gory—so that one can dis­ Logic," which we reprinted in the last three issues pense with "knowing" and of News & Letters. The original can be found in Two writings by let the self-development Supplement to the Raya Dunayevskaya Collection, Rosa. of the idea itself "take #13842. The title and footnotes were added by the over." editors. Raya Dunayevskaya Luxemburg, This is one reason why I have stopped writing on Feb. 7,1961 the Phenomenology of Dear Olga, Mind. It is not as you sup­ Rosa Luxemburg, pose that at one time I thought that one "superi­ Your letter breaks through on the central point, Women's Liberation, or" to the Logic. There is philosophically, for the new booki—the question of in fact no such description subjectivity in the philosophic sense, especially in the and Marx's of either work, although Marxist sense, that has absorbed objectivity. Again, I Marx and in fact even cannot overestimate the importance of seeing the new tourgeois philosophers book as a recruiting weapon, and I hope that everyone Philosophy of have admitted that the studies very carefully the parts I quoted at the REB Phenomenology was the [Resident Editorial Board] discussion. Revolution first spontaneous (if one On the other hand, do not hurry to concretize, in too can use such a phrase to immediate a sense, the [Hegelian categories of] describe such a thought- Universal, Particular and Individual. I am using the out work as the word, immediate, in the Hegelian sense of something The Philosophic Moment of Marxist-Humanism Phenomenology) work that is superficial. For example, what you say about and, therefore, fresher those categories as applicable to the existentialists is than the systematized correct, but is neither new nor deserves to be Logic. expressed in those profound Hegelian categories. It is not true that we begin with the Individual and Both for only $12.95 (regularprice $15.95) No, they really deal try to "derive" a Universal from it. For one thing, with different fields, and Individual does not mean an individual. It means the because the concretization of the Universal, its highest form, in the To order, see ad on page 12 Phenomenology deals sense in which Marx said that the individual was the with phenomena and can social entity and the individual's freedom the only ism, but that which could make it the unity of mental so easily, therefore, be abused, as indeed the existen­ proof of universal freedom. And yet, Individual, as con­ and manual and give the human being that new tialists have done, I felt that for the time being we had crete, does not mean the concrete everyday kind of dimension which only a classless society can create the better stick to objective categories before going into facts, but rather what we would call the self-develop­ conditions for. social types in which those categories become "embod­ ing subject. I could give a million more "examples," but that is ied." At the same time, a Universal does not always mean not really my purpose here, because it is not examples, In a word, just as Marx thought that unless you something great like a new society or socialism. It very right or wrong ones, that are important here, but only begin with piroduction relations before you bother your often means the first, the abstract and, therefore, the care with which one must approach a category, any head about profits, you would not understand either nonmeaningful first stage of development that can be philosophic category, and especially so those analyzed the one or the other, so the Phenomenology only diverted, perverted, corrupted. Just as abstraction by Hegel for the very highest stage of his Logic, the appears easier to understand, but is in fact much more Doctrine of the Notion. difficult, and can only be understood fully after one always plays into the hands of the enemy, so, philo­ 2 sophically, all sorts of people can hide themselves Johnny once told me that he takes down definitions has mastered the Logic. I give of Hegelian categories one week, and the next You are hovering around a difference between lead­ ership and masses insofar as unity of theory and prac­ 1. Raya Dunayevskaya was at work on a new book which would 2. Robert Ellery, early youth columnist for News & Letters. tice is concerned, but that is not really of the essence. later become Philosophy and Revolution. I was very struck by your paragraph about the dif­ ference between Marxism and Freedom and the new >,-*! work. However, the difference is not "quantitative," or as you put it; a question of "more sharply." It is a ques­ Take a journey of discovery into the Archives of Marxist-Humanism on the tion of entirely different population strata. I am through with setting out challenges for "theoreticians"; I am interested in the workers and in ourselves. So I DIALECTICS OF ORGANIZATION AND PHILOSOPHY will set out neither much more nor much less con­ cretely the challenge to the intellectuals; the challenge This summer News and Letters Committees is focusing on a renewed study and discussion ofRaya and the offer will be to the worker. Dunayevskaya's writings on one of the most critical issues facing the revolutionary movement—the You are absolutely right, however, that the organi­ relation of philosophy and organization. Here are a few of the many documents from the Archives of zation is all-important. What, after all, is the science Marxist-Humanism that we will be looking at. We invite you to join in this effort to explore the prob­ of Logic? It is an organization of thought. It has lem of dialectics of organization and philosophy. remained "dead" because the organization that under­ took to supposedly live by it was the University or the Theological Seminary, and those organizations do not • From Rosa Luxemburg, Women's Liberation, ' From the Supplement to the Raya and Marx's Philosophy of Revolution Dunayevskaya Collection: live by a revolutionary organization of thought, and (Urbana and Chicago: University of Illinois Press, the dialectic is revolutionary through and through, no 1991; original edition, 1981): "What is New in the Concept and Practice of matter what positivistic conclusions Hegel himself Organization Since Chapter 11 of Rosa Luxemburg, tried to foist upon it. Because it is revolutionary Chapter 11, "The Philosopher of Permanent Women's Liberation, and Marx's Philosophy of through and through, the dialectic demands an organi­ Revolution Creates New Ground for Organization" Revolution" (Oct. 24, 1984). zation of people for its realization that are Marxist- Humanists through and through. Chapter 12, "The Last Writings of Marx Point a Letter to David Joravsky (May 15, 1985). On the There may be other points that you would rather Trail to the 1980s" section on "Organizational Interlude" in Marxism have had me comment on than the ones I chose. Please and Freedom and subjecting "the question of the continue to write about any and all of them and do not • From The Raya Dunayevskaya Collection: Party" to Absolute Method," 17213. feel that somewhere you will ".go wrong." Among other things, that profound dialectician, Hegel, said, "Error "The Trail to the 1980s for Transforming Reality" "Notes on Organization and Religion in Hegel" (September 1981). Perspectives Thesis to News and is a dynamic of truth." Yours, (Oct. 6, 1986), 10788. Letters Committees Plenum, microfilm #7090. Raya

"On the 150th Anniversary since Hegel' Death: "1953 as Concept vs. Experience" (May 13, 1987). How Valid for Our Day are Marx's Hegelian On the dialectic of philosophy as inseparable from NEWS & Roots?" (December 1981, originally in News & the dialectic of organization, 10923. Vol. 45, No. 6 July 2000 Letters), 7481. News & Letters (ISSN 0028-8969) is published 10 times a year, monthly, • The Philosophic Moment of Marxist-Humanism except bi-monthly January-February and August-September for $5.00 a "On the Battle of Ideas: Philosophic-Theoretic (Chicago: News and Letters, 1989): year (bulk order or 5 or more, 250 each) by News & Letters, 36 S. Points of Departure as Political Tendencies Wabash, Room 1440, Chicago, IL 60603. Telephone (312) 236-0799. Fax Respond to the Objective Situation" (Oct. 15, 1982). Includes "Presentation on the Dialectics of (312) 236-0725. Second Class postage paid at Chicago, Illinois. POST­ Political-Philosophic Letter, 7486. Organization and Philosophy" (June 1, 1987) and MASTER: Send address changes to News & Letters, 36 S. Wabash, "Letters on Hegel's Absolutes" (May 12, 20, 1953). Room 1440, Chicago, IL 60603. Articles may be reprinted verbatim if credited to "News & Letters." "Marxist-Humanism 1983: The Summation that is Raya Dunayevskaya a New Beginning" (Jan. 1, 1983), 7639. Chairwoman, National Editorial Board (1955-1987) Charles Denby The Raya Dunayevskaya Collection and Supplement to the Raya Dunayevskaya Collection Editor (1955-1983) Olga Domanski, Peter Wermuth, Co-National Organizers, News and are available on microfilm at libraries nationwide. All documents are also available Letters Committees. Lou Turner, Managing Editor. Felix Martin, from News & Letters; see ad, page 12. Labor Editor (1983-1999). ______News & Letters is printed in a union shop. • 759-C JULY 2000 NEWS & LETTERS PageS rl§|||l^ (Continued from page 1) and biotechnology. The claim is that the extension of high remarkable intellectual advances is to alleviate human a development which shocked even U.S. allies for its tech to the biological realm will result in an improvement suffering. It is that as soon as such creativity is shackled shortsightedness and arrogance. At the time, Gore said he of human health through the treatment and eradication of to the value-form assumed by products of labor under cap­ would make arms control an issue in the presidential elec­ various diseases. Yet the commodified form in which the italism, everything takes on a life of its own—to tije detri­ tions. As of now he has done no such thing. Gore, who is "biotech revolution" is unfolding suggests that things are ment of life itself. Capital is inexorably driven to increase as committed to a missile-defense system as Clinton, is moving in a quite different direc­ value, to expand, to self-expand, hardly in a position to take the high road on arms control. tion. regardless of human potential or nat­ To discern this direction we need ural limits. As soon as any invention or Even the U.S.'s closest European allies oppose its plans intellectual breakthrough is brought for missile defense. Putin tried to take advantage of this only look at capital's impact on the health crisis in Africa. Africa faces a under the sway of capital, it serves the at a meeting with German Chancellor Schroeder in late purpose of augmenting value, regard­ June, where both condemned Clinton's proposal. health crisis of gargantuan propor­ tions: it accounts for 70% of new less of what is required for human self- Schroeder even said he was in favor of creating a "strate­ development. gic partnership" with Russia. AIDS cases worldwide, and AIDS The political fall-out from the U.S.'s drive for missile has reduced average life expectancy This is reflected in capitalism's defense shows that the end of the Cold War and the col­ in Africa by 20 years—erasing all growing preference to seek genetic lapse of many state-capitalist regimes which called them­ the gains made since World War II. solutions to social problems. It is much selves "Communist" did nothing to change the self- The country devoting the most more profitable for a company to claim destructive nature of capitalism. Whether it be nuclear money to AIDS research, the U.S., that a disease can be cured by manip­ powers like the U.S., Russia and China, or aspirants to has concentrated most of its funding ulating genes than trying to alleviate the nuclear club like North Korea, one thing is true of on finding a vaccine for a subtype of the environmental conditions (such as them all—while they rush to spend billions on weapons of AIDS prevalent in the northern man-made pollutants) which may trig­ mass destruction, they will not stop to raise the living hemisphere—leaving Africa totally ger a genetic disposition toward a standards of their masses. Capital will not allow it. out of the picture. And even though given illness. And just as it is more some drug companies have said profitable for capital to invest in cures they will cut the price of AZT and for baldness than sleeping sickness, other AIDS drugs, the price is still the effects of biotechnology will be B. Human life and the way out of reach for almost all used to benefit a narrow portion of the Africans. world's populace, if that. commodif ication of The one place in Africa where the Protest in Chicago against agribusi The most troubling part of today's rate of AIDS infection has fallen is ness's genetic mutation of foods. drive for genetic manipulation is that Uganda. It has fallen there not it takes little heed of the social and science because of aid or advice provided by western capital, but environmental consequences, precisely because the self- because Ugandan women have taken the lead in educat­ expansion of value is so much at stake in it. Recognition Nothing more exposes capital's inhumanity than the ing the populace about the dangers of HIV transmission. of this underlines the mass opposition to genetically engi­ execution in Texas of Shaka Sankofa (Gary Graham) last That this is occurring at a moment when the rate of HIV neered food in Europe and India and the growing protests month. The refusal of George W. Bush to even consider infection is rising again in some sections of the U.S., espe­ against it in the U.S., such as the rally of 6,000 in Boston commuting his sentence, despite Sankofa's clear inno­ cially among inner-city youth, indicates that the African this spring. cence, was aimed at demoralizing the growing movement masses have much to teach us on the AIDS issue.* As one critic put it in writing of the genetic manipula­ against capital punishment and the criminal injustice sys­ Africa's health crisis is by no means restricted to AIDS. tion of crops—which is but the tip of the iceberg of the tem. It may also be the system's dress rehearsal for what Millions die there yearly from treatable diseases like biotech revolution—The transformation of plant genetics it has in store for Mumia Abu-Jamal—unless we stop sleeping sickness, malaria and tuberculosis. Recent is being accelerated from the measured pace of biological them. reports show that 1.7 million have died in Congo over the evolution to the speed of next quarter's earnings report. The state's drive to destroy life via the death penalty is last two years from a breakdown in health services con­ Such haste makes it impossible to foresee and forestall:' part and parcel of a system which nected to the war. unintended consequences appear only later, when they privileges things over people, profit Even though drugs are available for may not be fixable, because novel life-forms aren't and power over life, the self-expan­ many diseases afflicting Africans, they are recallable" ("A Tale of Two Botanies," Amory B. Lovins sion of capital at the expense of the being pulled off the market because drug and Hunter L. Lovins, Wired, April 2000). expansion of human talents and companies feel they cannot generate It is not alone a renewed nuclear arms race which abilities. enough profit from their sale to them! Africa threatens the life of this planet, but genetic engineering One of the most striking indicators accounts for 1% of world drug sales, com­ and global warming as well. As the expression of the dom­ of this is the 11 million in the U.S. pared to 80% for the U.S., West Europe, and ination of means of production over means of consump­ who have been added to the list of Japan. Drug companies would much rather tion, of dead labor over living labor, capital's tendency for those lacking health insurance over invest in drugs to cure male baldness than self-destruction has always been as real as its drive for the last decade. The uninsured now life-saving drugs for workers in underdevel­ self-expansion. total 47 million. The lack of health oped countries. As Francois Gros of Aventis, Just as state-capitalism used science's ability to uncov­ insurance translates into a 25% a company that recently pulled a drug for er the basic laws of physics to unleash the destructive higher risk of death. Even those with African sleeping sickness off the market put power of the atom bomb, so restructured state-capitalism health insurance are increasingly at it, "We're an industry in a competitive envi­ is now using the discovery of the basic laws of biology to risk. A recent Supreme Court ruling ronment—we have a commitment to deliver unleash the destructive power of biotechnology. In each essentially called profits the first pri­ performance to shareholders." case, the role of the state remains decisive—as seen in the ority of HMOs, so patients cannot The commodification of the health care large investment of the U.S. government in the human sue for any injuries inflicted on them system should give pause to those with illu­ genome project. by skimping oil services. sions about the "biotech revolution." The This makes newly concrete Marxist-Humanism's insis­ The problem of health care has huge amount of capital now being invested in tence, projected since its birth in the workers' struggles hardly received any attention so far genetic engineering is not limited to the against automated production in the 1950s, that there is in the U.S. presidential campaign. genetic manipulation of crops like corn and no solution to human development short of a total uproot­ Bush has not only executed more Protesters in South Korea block the gates of a U.S. bombing range soybeans, which now account for over half ing of the separation of mental from manual labor that is inmates than any governor, he also the U.S. market. It includes efforts to geneti­ to demand its closure in June. the very basis of capital. As Raya Dunayevskaya wrote in presides over a state with one of the cally manipulate animal reproduction, Marxism and Freedom, "The challenge of our times is not worst records of any in public through cloning and other measures, and to machines, but to humanity. Intercontinental missiles health. Texas is at the top of the nation in rates of AIDS even efforts to artificially create life. Last month scientists can destroy mankind, but they cannot solve its human infection, diabetes, and tuberculosis, and near the bottom reported that they created the world's first synthetic DNA relations. The creation of a new society remains the in immunizations, mammograms, and access to physi­ molecules—which means that artificial organisms could be human endeavor" (p. 287).2 The question is whether a cians. Only John McCain's Arizona has a higher rate of created within two years. movement will emerge which will meet this challenge growth of those lacking health insurance. Gore has been The point is not whether or not the intent of such today. almost as silent on this issue as Bush. The issue of health care gets to the heart of the contra­ dictions facing global capitalism, given the enormous 1. For an analysis of the political crisis of African states in rela­ amount of money being invested in genetic engineering tion to ongoing mass unrest, see "The challenge of Africa in cri­ 2. Marxism and Freedom, from 1776 until Today, p. 287Thi. s sis," by Lou Turner, News & Letters, June 2000. has just appeared in a new edition by Humanity Books. II. New subjective challenges to global capital first ushered it into the world. The proper task of bour­ around the country, as seen in how the spirit of Seattle A. Defying capitalism's geois society is the creation of the world market, at least helped reinvigorate revolutionary May Day in marches in outline, and the production based on that market.^ held in over a dozen cities around the country. It is no exaggeration to say that capitalism is now expe­ Such new openings are not limited to Seattle. New new 16th century riencing yet another 16th century, as seen in its incessant labor struggles have occurred, from the organizing cam­ drive for global expansion and effort to commodity ever paign of home-care workers in Los Angeles to nationwide One event which helps illuminate the nature of the pre­ more areas of human and natural existence. At the same strikes of janitors and from the 49-day walkout of nurses sent moment was a trip that Clinton made to Portugal in time, the vast inequities generated by this stage of capital in Worcester, Mass. to the strike of Boeing's engineers— June, en route to his summit in Moscow. Its purpose was accumulation point to a return to the brutal exploitation the largest walkout of "high tech" workers ever. New to quiet the fears of the European allies about.hi s missile- and racism which defined capitalism's origin. Whether its protests against police abuse and the racist criminal injus­ defense plan. The visit began with a ceremony at Belem death knell will be sounded this time around is the ques­ tice system also arose, as did marches and rallies in Tower—a fort at the entrance of Lisbon harbor built in the tion that remains to be answered. defense of gay and lesbian rights. And new student strug­ 16th century, which Portuguese explorers of Asia, Africa, What creates potential for answering this question is gles emerged, from campus movements against sweat­ and the Americas—as well as slave traders—departed the emergence of a new generation of activists and shops to the 11-day boycott of classes by 10th graders, and from. President Sampao of Portugal declared at the cere­ thinkers reaching for new ideas, struggles, and organiza­ some fourth graders, in Massachusetts in April against mony that "our increasingly globalized world owes a lot to tional forms with which to challenge the dominance of standardized testing. their deeds." global capital. It is not just the number of protests that is striking, but Sampao was not wrong that the globalization of capital The protest against the World Trade Organization their character. A level of solidarity between students and that we hear so much about today owes much to the 16th (WTO) in Seattle brought this to the forefront. Seattle workers is occurring which has not been seen in decades. century. Capitalism first emerged as a global system with rekindled the spirit of anti-capitalist defiance through an There is also a new level of cross-border labor solidarity the opening up of Asia, Africa and America to colonialism unprecedented coalescence of students, workers, environ­ between workers at home and abroad. And there is more and the slave trade in the 16th century. Marx called it "the mentalists, feminists, gays and lesbians and Third World direct, open discussion of the need to abolish capital and rosy dawn of capitalist accumulation." As Marx said of the activists. It fired the imagination of tens of thousands the state than we have seen for a very long time. new stage of globalization reached with 19th century cap­ What fuels this opposition is recognition of the italism, There is no denying that bourgeois society has for 3. Letter of Marx to Engels, Oct. 8, 1858. This was written inequities of global capital. Three billion in the world the second time experienced its 16th century, a 16th cen­ shortly after Marx completed his Grundrisse, with its section today lack basic sanitation, three billion live on less than tury which, I hope, will sound its death knell just as the on Tre-Capitalist Economic Formations." (Continued on page 6) Page 6 NEWS & LETTERS JULY 2000 Draft for Marxist-Humanist Perspectives, 2000-2001 (Continued from page 5) three-day pitched battle between 20,000 miners and sol­ first breach in the seeming invincibility of post-Cold War $2 a day, and over a billion lack adequate food and nutri­ diers broke out in May in Yangjiazhanzi in response to capitalism. tion. Far from being a legacy of "Third World backward­ mass layoffs. What can help bridge the gap between today's anti- ness" that global capital will sooner or later get around to New protests are also occurring in Latin America, espe­ globalization protests and the legacy of revolt born from cially in Ecuador, Bolivia, Peru and Argentina. All of them the L.A. rebellion is the Marxist-Hunianist concept of tackling, these conditions are the product of capital's 6 restructuring over the last three decades. face the mailed fist of state repression. This is especially Black Masses as Vanguard of the American Revolution. According to the UN Development Project, "No fewer so in Mexico, even though the ruling PRI has just lost the It is crucial to confront, for if the movement against glob­ than 100 countries—either developing or in transition- presidential election to Fox of the PAN. The Zapatistas al capital fails to connect to the Struggles of the revolu- have experienced serious economic decline over the past warned in a communique in late June that regardless of tionary Black dimension, it will not be able to clearly dis­ three decades." Worst off of all is Sub-Saharan Africa. who becomes president, the state may try to move against tinguish itself from tendencies which oppose "globaliza­ Even the World Bank was forced to admit in a study them and the autonomous communities which have tion" from a decidedly reactionary standpoint. released in June that sub-Saharan Africans are poorer fueled the movement in Chiapas since 1994. today than 30 years ago. According to Caroline Thomas, "The explosive widening C. Contradictions in the of the gap between rich and poor states (and between rich B. The racist core of and poor people) evident over the last 50 years has been exacerbated in the 1990s...The dynamic of economic dri­ movement against ven globalization has led to a global reproduction of Third capital accumulation World social problems....Concentration of wealth, and social exclusion, seem to be part of a single global process" global capital ("Where is the Third World Now?" The Interregnum: —and its opposition The position of the AFL-CIO bureaucracy in the debate Controversies in World Politics, 1989-99, ed. by Michael It is not only in Mexico that such repression is showing Cox, Ken Booth, and Tim Dunn). over extending permanent normal trade relations to itself. It is increasingly evident in the U.S., as anyone sub­ China is one reflection of how narrow some critics of "glob­ Global capital has clearly proven itself incapable of jected to police abuse can attest. alization" can be. AFL-CIO President Sweeney's opposi­ putting a dent in the endemic problems of poverty and The serial murders by police and the state, largely of tion to the China trade bill was hardly distinguishable inequality in the largest economy on earth, the U.S., let Blacks and Latinos, reveals the totalitarian dimension of from Teamsters President James Hoffa Jr., who is consid­ alone anywhere else—despite the vast increases in labor U.S. "democracy" that has become more visible than ever. ering endorsing arch-reactionary and anti-Semite Pat productivity achieved through computerized technology It is part of an effort to suppress the rebellious outlook of Buchanan for president. and reorganized work processes. Though labor productiv­ youth as a whole, white as well as Black. This will reach a This is not the only example of narrow nationalist and ity in the U.S. grew 46.5% over the last 24 years, most frightening new stage if Bush becomes president. Whereas pro-capitalist forces trying to influence the anti-globaliza­ workers are earning less, Gore seems not to have tion movement. Green Party presidential candidate Ralph adjusted for inflation, than found his voice to articu­ Nader has held several friendly meetings with Buchanan 24 years ago, and are work­ late much of anything, over the past year, and Mike Dolan of Public Citizen, one ing far harder. Though Bush has folded the of the organizations which helped organize the Seattle unemployment is at the Christian Right into his protest, has praised Buchanan for his supposed "passion­ lowest level in the U.S. for campaign in stealth fash­ ate defense of the legitimate expectations of working fam­ years, significant wage ion. Recent Supreme ilies in the global economy." growth is still not occur­ Court decisions—like ring. And while the number upholding the Effective The way in which some rightists and leftists are able to of billionaires have quadru­ Death Penalty Act, which come together in the name of opposing "globalization" pled over the past decade, makes it easier for the should come as no surprise to anyone who was attentive those living below the state to carry out its to what emerged during the war over Kosova last year. A poverty line have increased license to kill, and striking significant section of the U.S. Left not only refused to sup­ 10%, to 34.5 million. down aspects of the port the struggle of the Kosovars against "ethnic cleans­ •Violence Against Women ing" but openly allied themselves with reactionary, nar­ The fact that women are row nationalist elements—on the grounds that they too bearing the brunt of these Act on the basis that it vio­ 1 lates "states' rights"—are opposed the U.S. air war against Serbia. ? conditions, as seen in the What we called last year a threat of an emerging "red- disproportionate number of March against killings by police in New York. tailor-made for Bush's agenda. brown alliance" in the West is not restricted to responses women lacking basic to the war in Kosova. The response to the crisis in Kosova employment, education, and health care, while being sub­ The movement that has arisen against prison ware­ reflected a problem confronting all of today's move­ jected to spousal abuse and ah array of forms of sexual housing, the death penalty, and police abuse represents a ments—the difficulty being encountered in articulating a harassment, explains why women are in the forefront of mass rejection of this repressive apparatus. Yet so far most revolutionary alternative to capitalism. the resistance to the conditions imposed by restructured of the protests against globalization and those against the This difficulty has everything to do with the legacy of capitalism. Just as many of the new generation of anti- criminal injustice system have not come together This was the unfinished and aborted revolutions of the past centu­ sweatshop labor organizers are women, be it in the evident at the Washington D.C. IMF-World Bank protest, ry. In the 20th century any number of efforts to negate Mississippi Delta or in Indonesia, so are many of those which drew relatively few Black residents of D.C. or other capitalism stopped short at the abolition of private prop­ leading the campaigns against globalization. This is evi­ areas. It was even more evident at the protests against the erty and the "free" market. Instead of a new society, we dent from each of the major protests against global capi­ OAS in Windsor, Ontario, in June. ended up with state-capitalist regimes which called them­ tal this year, be it Seattle, the April protest in Washington 4 The gap between opposing globalization overseas and selves "communist" or "socialist." The collapse of many of D.C, or the UN conference on global women's issues. connecting with the struggles of Blacks and Latinos those regimes in East Europe and the A revival of movement activity seems to be occurring on against capital here at home is one of Third World in the 1980s and 1990s every continent. In Norway, the largest industrial strike the most important contradictions fac­ could have become a new opening to lib­ in years occurred in May against management and the ing today's activists. It cannot be eration, that is, to a return to Marx's con­ trade union leadership. In Ukraine 40,000 miners went on resolved by abstract appeals to Black- cept of a "revolution in permanence" that strike in May against unpaid wages and working condi­ white unity or by reducing the prob­ does not stop its development until all tions that have killed hundreds of miners. In South Africa lem to tactics and strategy. It can be alienated human relationships, begin­ four million participated in a strike on May 10 against resolved only by explicitly opposing ning at the point of production and mass unemployment. In India 20 million went on strike the racist material and ideological extending to the whole of society, are fun­ May 11 against efforts to open the economy to global com­ structures of U.S. society and breaking damentally transformed. petition by privatizing state enterprises. And in China a from pragmatist attitudes which skip over the need for a philosophy of liber­ The problem, however, is that revolu­ ation to serve as the unifying thread of tionary theoreticians failed to meet the 4. For more on this, see "Women shake up dominance of global freedom struggles. mass revolts with a comprehensive phi­ capital," by Maya Jhansi, News & Letters, March 2000. losophy of liberation. The great divide As one prisoner wrote: "Failure to between Marx's Marxism and estab­ immediately and continuously lished Marxism was not seriously pro­ address the theoretical questions that jected. define a movement not only leads to a As a result, it remains very unclear false unity, but to a weak identity today what the alternative to capital through which reactionary forces can really is. Faced with the enormous diffi­ infiltrate and coopt a movement.^ Children in New Delhi demand an culty of articulating an alternative, not This is not the first time we have end to exploitation in export just to the IMF or WTO, but to the very faced this problem. In the 1960s a new industries in India. existence of capitalism, many refrain generation of revolutionaries arose from raising the issue—preferring instead to focus for now ^M£®27 inspired by Black masses in the Freedom Now! move­ on more tangible and immediate critiques of various ment. By the late 1960s, however, many white New Left forms and manifestations of globalization. Raya Dunayevskaya's book... shows activists moved away from the Civil Rights Movement for This is reflected in the tendency to critique "corporate not only that Marxian economics and the sake of focusing solely on the movement against the greed"—as if it can be eliminated without uprooting capi­ politics are throughout philosophy, but war in Vietnam. The extent of the resulting separation of taUsm. This leaves the door open for anti-revolutionary that the latter is from the beginning white and Black became evident at the high point of the elements which oppose aspects of "globalization" from a economics ahd politics." student movement, May 1970. While the killing of four nationalist and pro-capitalist position to pose themselves —Herbert Marcuse students by the National Guard at Kent State initiated a as part of the movement. national outcry, much less was said about the killing of two Black students at Jackson State. The problem is hot resolved simply by issuing abstract "In Marxism and Freedom, critiques of capitalism. The Stalinists and their fellow Dunayevskaya grapples, in the face History never repeats itself the same way twice, and travelers certainly did plenty of that in years past. But of the Stalinist legacy, with the today's situation is not the same as the 1960s. Yet just as their efforts to oppose capitalism only led to a new form of question: 'What happens after? the revolts of the 1960s were set into motion by the Black exploitation, totalitarian state-capitalism, because what What happens when the old repression dimension, so the first serious challenge to U.S. capital in remained untouched was the most fundamental problem has been successfully resisted and overthrown? How do the post-Cold War era was initiated by Blacks and of all—the existence of forced, alienated labor. Without we make the 'continuing revolution,' 'the revolution in perma­ Latinos. Foremost in this was the Los Angeles rebellion of creating a new kind of labor which dispenses with the sep­ nence' in which this cannot happen? She is passionate about 1992. It was a direct response to police abuse. It was also aration between mental and manual, it is impossible to 'the movement from theory to practice and from practice to a direct challenge to capital. Though derided by the bour­ uproot either capitalism or its manifestations. theory' as living process and about he necessity for new voices geois press as "looting," the actions of the Black and It therefore bears repeating that for Marx capital irnot speaking for their own freedom to be heard and listened to, if Latino (and in some cases white youth) in clearing out a movement is to keep on moving." —Adrienne Rich stores reflected a drive to strip products of labor of their (Continued on page 7) value-form by treating them as objects of use, instead of Special price for News & Letters readers $20 as exchange. Brief as it was, Los Angeles 1992 opened the 6. This concept is comprehensively developed in American Civilization on Trial: Black Masses as Vanguard, (Chicago: (Regularly $24.95; special runs through August) 5. For an extensive discussion of this by a prisoner, see "On the News and Letters, 1984 [orig. ed. 1963]). movement against global capital," by Todd C. Morrison, News 7. For our analyses of the war over Kosova, see our pamphlet 7. & Letters, May 2000. Kosova: Writings from Neips & Letters, 1998-99. JULY 2000 NEWS & LETTERS Page 7 The search for new paths to freedom vs. the destructive drive of global capital (Continued from page 6) stage in the 1940s, Raya Dunayevskaya creatively negativity." In showing that the movements from practice simply a thing but a social relation mediated through the returned to Marx's Marxism by showing that the abolition bring to life the most abstract philosophic conceptions, she instrumentality of things. Capital is the expression of a of capitalism hinges upon the abolition issued a challenge for revolutionary specific social form of labor—of abstract, undifferentiated, of alienated labor. As against the ten­ theoreticians to meet them with a phi­ alienated labor. So long as the very activity of laboring is dency of many radicals to get lost in losophy of revolution which makes reduced to an alienated, thingified activity—that is, so long the world of objective things, of prop­ explicit their drive for a total uproot­ as human relations take on the form of relations between erty and market relations—as if ing. This underlined her restatement tilings—capital will continue to oppress us, with all its nationalizing property or abolishing over four decades of Marx's thought as destructive consequences. Important as it is to demand "a the "free" market constituted "social­ a philosophy of "revolution in perma­ rejection of neo-liberal politics" and "all forms of oppression ism"—she returned to Marx's human­ nence." and exploitation such as patriarchy, white supremacy, and ist concept of freelyassociate d labor as It is hard to think of a philosophy imperialism,"^ to skip over the need to uproot the alienat- the antithesis of value production. better situated to speak to the move­ ed character of the labor process essentially amounts to This emphasis on creating new ment against global capital than assuming the permanence of the capital-relation. human relations freed from the con­ Marxist-Humanism. It speaks to the Today's realities demand a break from all pragmatist straints of value production—begin­ desire to abolish capital, to create non- attitudes which consider theoretical questions, and most ning with but by no means restricted elitist forms of organization, to achieve of all a philosophy of revolution, as "divisive" or of sec­ to transforming relations at the point "There, there it is again—the invisible a coalescence of revolutionary forces, ondary importance. For neither a serious critique of capi­ of production—defined her entire hand of the marketplace giving us the finger.' and to break down the hallmark of tal nor a notion of its liberating alternative is possible development of Marxist-Humanism. It class society—the division between without turning anew to the whole of Marx's new conti­ underlined its view of the four forces of revolution—work­ mental and manual labor—in the course of the struggle nent of thought and of revolution. ers, women, youth, Blacks and other minorities. for a new society. Here is where the philosophy of Marxist-Humanism Marxist-Humanism pinpointed the content of these The question is whether Marx's philosophy of revolu­ takes on new importance. Beginning with the develop­ forces as lying in a drive to negate all conditions in which tion as restated by Marxist-Humanism will achieve the ment of the theory of state-capitalism as a new world human relations take the form of relations between kind of organizational expression that can enable the con­ things. In articulating the subjectivity of the "new pas­ cept of "revolution in permanence" to become the beacon sions and new forces," Dunayevskaya showed that they 8. This is from a statement of principles of the Direct Action of today's struggles. To confront this, we need to turn anew Network, one of the organizers of the Seattle protest. bring to life the Hegelian and Marxian notion of "absolute to the problem of revolutionary organization. III. Beyond capitalism: projecting a new alternative through a unity of philosophy and organization "The dialectic is revolutionary through and through, no ranged from the concept of alienated labor and its society will be like after the transcendence of value pro­ matter what positivistic conclusions Hegel himself tried to absolute opposite—freely associated labor—to duction. He wrote: foist upon it. Because it is revolutionary through and man/woman relations as the "measure" of society to the "In a higher phase of communist society, after the through, the dialectic demands an organization of people projection of a "thoroughgoing humanism" which unites enslaving subordination of the individual under the divi­ for its realization that are Marxist-Humanists through materialism with idealism in opposition to both capitalism sion of labor, and therewith also the antithesis between and through." and 'Vulgar communism." The 1844 Manuscripts was also 9 mental and physical labor, has vanished; after labor, from —Raya Dunayevskaya, 1961 the "philosophic moment" for his concept of organization. a mere means of life, has itself become the prime necessi­ At no time was this defined by the elitist notion of a van­ ty of life; after the productive forces have also increased One of the most striking developments of the past year guard party. It was rather defined by responsibility for an with the all-round development of the individual, and all is the way many of the new struggles show a clear prefer­ idea—the idea of a total uprooting of class society. Marx the springs of cooperative wealth flow more abundantly— ence for non-hierarchical and decentralized forms of orga­ practiced this concept in the organizations he was part of, only then can the narrow horizon of bourgeois right be nization. This was especially evident at the Seattle from the Communist League to the First International. fully left behind and society inscribe on its banners: from protest, as well as elsewhere. Ye,t it was not until 1875, with his Critique of the Gotha each according to his ability, to each according to his This desire for decentralized organizational forms is of Program, that Marx reached to fully concretize his philo­ needs." tremendous, significance. As Dunayevskaya said of the sophic moment of 1844 for organization. Marx's Critique Marx was not putting off for a far-distant future the cre­ spontaneous emergence of such forms of organization in of the Gotha Program consisted of a sharp critique of his ation of a new kind of labor which dispenses with value earlier revolutions and freedom struggles, "The demand followers for submerging Marxian principles for the sake production. Nor was he posing the abstract, alienated for decentralization involves...first, the depth of the neces­ of organizational unity with the followers of Ferdinand kind of labor characteristic of capitalism as the "principle" sary uprooting of this exploitative, sexist, racist society. Lassalle, whom he had castigated as "a future workers' of a new society. On the contrary, he was posing the Second, the dual rhythm of revolution; not just the over­ dictator." uprooting of the "peculiar social form" of labor character­ throw of the old, but the creation of the new; not just the Marx's Critique was far more than a critique of a polit­ istic of capitalism as the fundamental prerequisite for the reorganization of objective, material foundations but the ical program. It was a critique of an entire attitude abolition of capital. release of subjective personal freedom, creativity, and tal­ towards organization and philosophy. Marx blasted the That this is projected not just "in general," but in the ents. In a word, there must be such appreciation of the program's declaration that "labor is the source of all midst of a critique of an organizational document, shows movement from below, from practice, that we never again wealth," which forgets that nature is just as much the let theory and practice get separated" (Rosa Luxemburg, that for Marx the "historic right to exist" of a Marxist source of use-values. He exposed how little his followers organization is defined by its responsibility for developing Women's Liberation, and Marx's Philosophy of Revolution, understood what capital is, in failing to grasp that the p. 108). the principles of "revolution in permanence." He was problem lies not in distribution or exchange, but in pro­ thereby making explicit the concept of organization inte­ This does not mean that spontaneous organizational duction. And he attacked their call for workers to "strive gral to his work from as early as the 1844 Manuscripts. forms by themselves resolve the basic problem confronting for their emancipation within the framework of the pre­ The question is, why did it take 30 years for Marx to so efforts at social transformation. This is because those sent-day national state" as a regression from the interna­ sharply project this? The reason may be that by 1875 involved in mass struggles "also search for an organization tionalism of the First International. Marx was not just cri­ Marx had experienced a tremendous philosophic develop­ different from their own in the sense that they want to be tiquing his followers for political opportunism. He was ment in completing the French edition of Vol. I of Capital sure there is a totality of theory and practice" to help objecting to the way a "Marxist" organization had 10 and creating a comprehensive body of ideas. The question ensure the creation of a totally new society. As new forms detached itself from the very idea of "revolution in perma­ of organization took on new importance once the self- of organization spring from grassroots struggles, its partic­ nence." determination of the Idea reached a new stage of develop­ ipants also look for ways to connect with organizations dif­ For Marx, however, critique was never just critique as ment. ferent from their own which can provide them with need­ opposition, but a matter of projecting the absolute oppo­ Unfortunately, Marx's Critique of the Gotha Program ed theoretical direction. The problem is that more often site in an affirmative way. It's seen in how the 1875 did not become the ground of organization in post-Marx than not they encounter organizations which are more Critique contained his fullest projection of what a new interested in controlling them than in offering a compre­ (Continued on page 8) hensive view on how to transform society. The fact that spontaneous forms have often been taken NEWLY TRANSLATED INTO CHINESE over by elitist groups does not negate the need for an orga­ nization of revolutionary theoreticians armed with a phi­ losophy which spells out how to continue the struggle for a new society past the conquest of state power. It makes it even more important. It can be seen by the way tenden­ Philosophy cies from liberals to vanguardist Marxists to anarchists are already trying to claim the mantle of the struggles against global capital. What remains missing on their part is an effort to meet these spontaneous forms with a and Revolution philosophy of liberation which spells out not only what we are against but what we are for. by To see what is involved in working this out for today, we Raya Dunayevskaya need to turn to the dialectics of organization and philoso­ phy—beginning with the ground Marx himself provided for it. translated by Fu Xiaoping

A. Marx's concept of ALSO AVAILABLE by Dunayevskaya

<$£#, organization revisited V ,. Marx remains our founder, not just when it comes to Marxism questions of theory, but to organization as well. From the Available from start of his new continent of thought and revolution in the 1840s he did not separate the two. and Freedom Marx's Economic and Philosophic Manuscripts of 1844 NEWS marked the birth of a philosophy of revolution. Its content introduction by Wang Ruoshui 9. We have reprinted the full text of this letter from February & LETTERS 1961 on p. 4 of this issue of News & Letters. Both books published by 10. This is from a series of notes written as part of Dunayevskaya's work on "Dialectics of Organization and Liaoning Education Publishers Philosophy" in 1987. See Supplement to the Raya $10 each Dunayevskaya Collection, Vol. 13, 10955. JULY 2000 Page 8 NEWS & LETTERS

objective situation. We need to undergo a much deeper (Continued from page 7) Permanent Revolution and Organization Man" but she changed it to "The Philosopher of Permanent Revolution philosophic-political-organizational self-development, Marxism. Even those who did return to the Critique in Creates New Ground for Organization." She made the beginning with an all-organizational collective dialogue terms of the need to smash the bourgeois state, such as change "to reveal that the little word 'and' did not mean and discussion on the problem of "the dialectics of organi­ Lenin, failed to draw any connection between the Critique that Organization was a separate corollary to Marx's phi­ zation and philosophy'' in light of today's realities. This and the concept of organization. Instead, Lenin's concept losophy of'revolution in permanence.' The difference... is defines all of our tasks of the coming year. of the, vanguard party, which owed much more to Lassalle between still keeping the philosophy and organization in This begins with undertaking responsibility for keeping than to Marx, became a veritable fetish. Nor did anti- separate categories and finally projecting the single the major works of Marxist-Humanism in print and Leninists return to Marx's Critique as part of reconsider­ dialectic in objective and subjective development" securing a publisher for the collection of writings by ing the question of organization. The inseparability of (Supplement to RDC, 17177). Dunayevskaya on the dialectic which we have called "The organization from projecting a vision of a new society root­ The task of concretizing this Power of Negativity." Since the ed in a concept of "revolution in permanence" never single dialectic led her to journey aim of all our work seeks to mani­ became the ground of post-Marx Marxism. It has every­ anew into Hegel's philosophy as fest the inseparability of theory thing to do with the failure of post-Marx Marxists of our she worked on a planned book "on and practice, the development of era to respond to the changes in global capital by project­ "Dialectics of Organization and News & Letters newspaper is of ing a liberating vision of the future. Philosophy." She explored anew special importance—both in elicit­ This does not mean the task of working out a new rela­ Hegel's Phenomenology of Mind, ing voices of revolt "unseparated tion between philosophy and organization has come to an Science of Logic, and Smaller from the articulation of a philoso­ end. For we have something that no previous generation Logic, Lenin's Philosophic phy of liberation" and in generat­ of Marxists possessed—the ability to grasp the self-deter­ Notebooks, Marx's 1844 critique of ing new outreach and distribution mination of the Idea of Marx's Marxism as a totality, now Hegel and Marxist-Humanism's that can truly expand the horizons that Marxist-Humanism has unearthed his philosophy of breakthrough on Hegel's of our organization. "revolution in permanence" from the Archives. Absolutes of 1953. While the 1953 The unity of theory and prac­ breakthrough had been achieved tice is especially manifested in with the question of organization two pamphlets which we are now B. The single dialectic of in mind, the relation between readying for publication—one organization and the dialectic in consisting of selected writings philosophy took on new impor­ from Felix Martin, who was a philosophy/organization tance with the projection of "revo­ writer, columnist and Labor lution in permanence as ground Editor of N&L over a period of 27 Marxist-Humanism's entire development has consist­ for organization." As she wrote in |> years until his death last year, the ed of working out what Marx's Marxism means for today. 1986, "Unless we Work out the •s other a pamphlet which will Marxism and Freedom, from 1776 until Today (1958), dialectic in philosophy itself, the engage in a battle of ideas over established the American roots and world humanist con­ dialectic of organization, whether 'Students for Mumia" and others march in Marx's value theory. In different cepts of Marx's Marxism by exploring the development it be from the vanguard party or Chicago in support of freedom for the radical ways, each .seeks to demonstrate from the 1844 Manuscripts to Capital in light of state- that born from spontaneity, would journalist's freedom from Death Row. what a critique of capitalism root­ capitalism and the struggles against it in our age. be just different forms of organiza­ ed in a Mantist^Humanist philoso­ Philosophy and Revolution, from Hegel to Sartre and tion, instead of an organization that is so inseparable phy can mean for projecting new visions of the future from Marx to Mao (1973), explored the source of Marx's from its philosophic ground that form and content are which are inherent in the present. Marxism—Hegel's dialectic of "absolute negativity"— one" (Supplement to RDC, 10789). This underlies our perspectives with all the forces of both in and for itself and in relation to its impact on revolt. Nowhere is this more important than with the Marx, Lenin, and the revolutionaries of the 20th century. Dunayevskaya's work on the "Dialectics of Organization and Philosophy" was left unfinished with Black dimension. It is this which nas motivated our aim Its central category—"Absolute Negativity as New to present a "Marxist-Humanist Statement on the Black Beginning"—in turn became the impetus for a critical her death in 1987. While it is impossible to know where her work on it would have taken her, it is clear that she Dimension" for today. Of great importance as well is our reexamination of the greatest post-Marx Marxists, in work with women's hberationists to develop what we con­ Rosa Luxemburg, Women's Liberation, and Marx's was in no way departing from the fundamental principles Philosophy of Revolution (1982). Its discovery of the "new which have denned us since our origin. On the contrary, sider Marxist-Humanism's unique and specific contribu­ moments" of Marx's last decade—which include his writ­ in her "Presentation on the Dialectics of Organization tions to the Women's Liberation Movement in the ongoing ings on man/woman relations, technologically underde­ and Philosophy" of June 1, 1987, she returned to the battle of ideas. We also seek to deepen our activities in the veloped societies, and indigenous peoples in the "philosophic moment" of the birth of Marxist-Humanism, movement against police abuse and the prisoner solidari­ Ethnological Notebooks—cast a new illumination on the 1953 "Letters on Hegel's Absolutes," seeing it as the ty movement, as well as in the environmental and queer ground and roof for working out a new relation between liberation movements. Marx as a whole by revealing that "no concept of his was 11 separate from that of permanent revolution" (p. 192). philosophy and organization. The finances demanded to publish News & Letters and Assuming organizational responsibility for philosophy make the new pamphlets a reality is one way we seek to This opened new doors on the whole question of orga­ does not take away from the need for a decentralized break down the division of "inside" and "outside." From nization. The discovery of the whole of Marx's thought committee form, for working out a new unity between our beginnings our friends and readers have contributed and its divide from "post-Marx Marxism, beginning with workers and intellectuals, and for having a newspaper in to the special additional sustaining fund we need to keep Engels, as pejorative" showed that achieving continuity which theoretical projection and voices of subjects of going, and this year is no exception. with Marx on the level of today's realities calls for a new revolt are inseparable. If anything, it only makes them When News & Letters began Dunayevskaya wrote, relation between philosophy and organization. more important. "The Absolute Idea, or the concept of the new society, As Dunayevskaya wrote in 1981: "We have, unfortu­ The point is to develop these and other dimensions of means that the totality of crisis is so pervasive that the nately, all too often stopped at the committee-form of our organizational life through a collective journey into average person, who might ordinarily have been con­ organization, rather than philosophy and organization. the dialectic of philosophy. Dunayevskaya addressed cerned with but one aspect, such as wages...now search­ And it is the philosophy that is new, totally new, not the what this requires after completing Philosophy and es instead for a totality of outlook...This desire for a new committee form of organization, crucial as that form is to Revolution: "We can't think that we are meeting that task way of life compels a search for Tittle groups' or newspa­ fight vanguardism" (The Raya Dunayevskaya Collection by just saying, we recognize that it's not Substance but pers such as News & Letters" (Supplement to RDC, [RDC], 7126). In 1982 she said the key is "Organizational Subject.... Subject isn't all there is to subjectivity, in the 12130). responsibility for one's philosophic stand for a new soci­ Universal sense, because subjectivity in the universal This has become even more true today, in light of the ety....Philosophy itself does not reach its full articulation sense includes the theory. It cannot be complete until emergence of a new generation reaching for ways to com­ until it has reached the right organizational form" (RDC, you're just as good in taking down that self-determina­ bat global capitalism. Our aim is to demonstrate that the 7514). tion of the Idea as taking down the Subject talking" ("Our self-determination of the Idea is neither abstract or It is not that "on the one hand" there is a need for orga­ Original Contribution to the Dialectic of Absolute Idea as external to reality, but is living proof that revolutionary nization, while "on the other" there is a need for philoso­ New Beginning," RDC, 5628). ideas remain a power in today's world. phy. Rather, the task is to work out philosophy and orga­ Achieving this is how we can ensure that Marx's phi­ —The Resident Editorial Board nization as a single dialectic. losophy of revolution as restated by Marxist-Humanism Dunayevskaya spoke to this in 1984, in commenting on reaches the kind of organizational expression that will How to contact her decision to change the title of the chapter of her enable the concept of "revolution in permanence" to NEWS & LETTERS COMMITTEES Luxemburg book dealing with the Critique of the Gotha become the beacon of today's struggles. By doing so we Program. Originally it was entitled "The Philosopher of can play a critical role in speaking to the search by a new Hli WW generation for new concepts and organizational forms 36 S.Wabash, Room 1440 P.O. Box 196 with which to challenge capital. Chicago, IL 60603 Grand Central Station Phone 312 236-0799 New York, NY 10163 Fax 312 236-0725 212 663 3631 MEETINGS Call for Information MEETINGS Bring the C. Political-philosophic- Sundays, 6:30 p.m. Washington Square Church P.O. Box 27205 revolution home.. organizational tasks Detroit Ml 48227 133 W 4th St. (Parish House MEETINGS parlor), Manhattan Much of our work of the past year speaks to this. It Tuesdays, 6 p.m. includes securing a new edition of Marxism and Freedom Central Methodist Church Subscribe to Woodward and Adams P.O. Box 3345 in the U.S. and Philosophy and Revolution in China. We Oakland, CA 94609 also issued new pamphlets on Kosova and on prisoner 510 658 1448 4475 Sunset Drive-Box 181 News & Letters struggles, intervened in the battle of ideas in outside MEETINGS presses, and analyzed new objective and subjective devel­ Los Angeles, CA 90027 MEETINGS Sundays, 6:30 p.m. opments in News & Letters newspaper. We have become Sundays, 5:30 p.m. 2015 Center St. (at Milvia) You can't miss it. It's on every an important force in the prisoner solidarity movements Echo Park United Berkeley battle front of today's fight for and, in some areas, in the movement against police abuse. Methodist Church Our British colleagues have made important strides in 1226N. Alvarado Freedom. It's in every battle (North of Sunset, side door) of ideas.Discover Marxist- work with their new publication, Hobgoblin. We also tried Humanism, and what the fight to speak to the new moment disclosed by Seattle in a 1910 Madison Aye, PMB 59 series of classes held nationwide on "Beyond Capitalism: P.O. Box 33847¾ MI 48502 Memphis, TN 38104 for a new, human society is The Struggle for a New Society Against Today's all about. News & Letters...^ I NTERNET 1 Globalized Capital." unique combination of workers Important as such work has been, we cannot be satis­ and intellectuals, where today's J fied with our current state of organizational growth and [email protected] www.newsandletters.org voices of revolt, from the outreach, given the many challenges presented by the [email protected] (Oakland) streets to the prisons, are rERNATIONAL MARXIST-HUMANISTS heard unseparated from the articulation 11. For the text of the "Presentation on the Dialectics of of a philosophy of liberation. Organization and Philosophy" of June 1, 1953 and the 1987 BCM Box 3514, London, England WC1N 3XX "Letters on Hegel's Absolutes," see The Philosophic Moment of http://members.aol.com/THEHOBCOBL/index.html SUBSCRIBE NOW! Marxist-Humanism (Chicago: News and Letters, 1989). JULY 2000 NEWS & LETTERS Page 9

AFTER SEATTLE : the entire program is $95 and pre-regis- tration is advised. Those interested can THE DEBATE call the Brecht Forum, 212-242-4201 or The bourgeoisie has its own way of Readers' Views visit us at www.brechtforum.org. seeing that there is something new in Outreach coordinator the movement today. Even Fukuyama THE CHALLENGE OF AFRICA IN CRISIS New York sees that socialism will make a come­ back, singling out Seattle as signaling a Lou Turner's report on "The Challenge eral reasons. One aspect of capitalist pro­ of Africa in Crisis" in the June issue was duction is that Third World farmers have deep opposition to global capitalism and VIETNAM 30 YEARS AFTER pointing out that "workers of the world a daunting task to undertake. It seemed been forced by competition on the world unite" has never been more appropriate, to present so many disparate forces and market to use water-intensive and chem­ Thank you for the editorial setting Seattle veteran factors as to defy coherent analysis. But ical-intensive methods that maximize straight the legacy of the anti-Vietnam California his report not only described the various agricultural output. When there is a dis­ war movement in the June issue. Here * * * internal and external influences at work, ruption in the climate or in the market, in the South it's not acceptable to say but also disclosed the vital importance of In your article about May Day 2000 in these methods are more vulnerable than out loud that it was a war to destroy a Marx's analysis of capitalism, which is traditional farming methods adapted to people's movement for liberation from the June issue you stated that anar­ necessary to reveal the various relation­ chists reject theory. This is a flat out lie. local conditions. imperialism. Our ears ring with the ships. What was important was that Revolutionary environmentalist shouts of those who want to rewrite his­ Some anarchists may reject theory but Turner not only forcefully critiqued the most do not. Anarchists have developed Memphis tory to justify that imperialist war just horrors generated by the imperialist * * * as they want to rewrite history to justi­ theories as complex and varied as powers that carved Africa into a hodge­ Marxist theory. A simple reading of the While the size ofthe AIDS epidemic in fy the South's war to preserve slavery. podge of separate colonies, but revealed Africa well illustrates the disastrous From the 1970s anti-war generation works of Proudhon, Bakunin, Kropotkin, the catastrophic conditions that the pre­ Emma Goldman, Murray Bookchin long-term effects of colonialism and Tennessee sent rulers are responsible for, as well as Africa's impoverished status, it might get and/or Noam Chomsky will show this to the growing revolutionary discontent of be true. inflated because of poor and vague diag­ the African masses who keep striving to nostic criteria. Silvia Federici argues Student transform their conditions. that this amounts to a medicalization of DeKalb, 111. what are actually states of poverty LABOR'S * * * Retiree Detroit brought about by Structural Adjustment ISSUES There is a theoretical debate going on Programs and that an exaggeration of within the movement that many may * * * It was good to remind us that calling the AIDS problem in Africa diverts atten­ TODAY wish to forego in order to first establish tion from the political policy issues. a greater "unity" within the movement. 1960 the "Year of Africa" was a joke To them, such issues seem distant and because capitalism couldn't develop even Eli Messinger abstract. But failure to immediately and one impoverished country. Lou Turner's New York continuously address the theoretical point about Western aid was right on. > * * * Ralph Nader may be a real factor in questions that define a movement not Egypt gets the most aid, and most pf it is There is a great deal to criticize in the the coming national elections. No one only leads to a false unity, but a weak tanks and other weapons. Egypt remains capitalist development of medicine, like thinks he can win but he has hit on the identity through which reactionary full of poverty. John G. taking malaria drugs off the shelf key issues of the irresponsibility of cor­ forces can infiltrate and corrupt. None of Berkeley, Cal. because they're not profitable. But porate and global capitalism and the us involved in the struggle for human * * * Mbeki's criticism of AIDS treatment is close ties that bind corporate board liberation can forget that the Pat I was glad the Lead on Africa talked thoroughly based on his patriarchal per­ rooms to the White House and Congress. Buchanans of the Establishment are about "a new ecological danger created spectives. In his criticisms it's not only The Labor Party's constitution prohibits lurking in the crowds looking for a by capitalist globalization." Global the class line but the whole gender line endorsing anyone but many members weakness to exploit. warming is projected to have a far more that seems to be obliterated. are openly talking about supporting Todd M. devastating impact on poor countries, Htun Lin Nader. Add to that the way UAW Connecticut especially in sub-Saharan Africa, for sev^ Oakland, Cal. President Stephen Yokich has said he is under consideration for union support r in regard to young men of color, the cerning "1921 Tulsa race riot revisited." and the way both the UAW and statement called for vigilance against In 1921 any "native" Tulsans would Teamsters union have withheld their ill mi m mi A VOICE the mayor using the attack to justify have been 14 years old or less. The support for Gore, and you have a picture FROM increased police harassment. "elite" were all outsiders (immigrants, if of some serious divisions ahead in the WITHIN Women's liberationist you will). Until Oklahoma became a AFL-CIO. Despite that leadership's sup­ Illinois state in 1907 Eastern Oklahoma was port for Gore, many rank-and-file mem: •I I I "Indian territory." Turner is exactly bers oppose him because of his support Greetings from America's new slave | FOR SHAKA SANKOFA | right to point out that during that time of "free trade policies" that have hit colony, the federal prison system. Here (1921) there were race riots in a variety workers hard in many industries. in Greenville a third of our cells are Shaka Sankofa's insistence that he be of places. It was a time of substantial Labor Party member housing three men in a space barely big remembered by that name instead of KKK power and influence in much of Detroit enough for two. Now they are converting Gary Graham, and his insistence right America. But the immediate past of this * * * particular area is a serious factor. Many the TV rooms into ten-man cells and up until the moment of his execution The article on the janitors' strike (May moving the TVs to the common areas. that he would die fighting for what he tribes had been induced by hook, crook, bribe, or force to leave their native N&L) did not quite capture the spirit of This is justified as "temporary" housing believed in, reverberate far beyond the that month-long movement where each and clearly violates their own policy, issue of George W. Bush's presidential homes and settle in Indian territory. I agree with Turner that "when it comes day large numbers marched and rallied which stipulates that half the cells are campaign that dominates the media. in different parts of the city, attracting to be single-man and half may be two- "Sankofa" refers to an African spirit who to the Black dimension there is no sepa­ ration between past, present and the police and media and making them­ man. Of course, the local communities represents the idea of looking back into selves visible. Although many local and love this approach as the deadline for history to go forward into the future. I future." So why is that not true about Native Americans? Those who came to national political and religious figures the census count looms near, because learned this from a recent independent helped to gain the public's support it was each of the 1,225 inmates here are film about a slave revolt and from Indian territory were, in writing, promised that land "in perpetuity." It the janitors who created the movement counted as residents of the small town of Cassandra Wilson's jazz piece, both by and won that victory. Greenville (pop. 7,000). We can't vote, the same title. Shaka Sankofa's declara­ should be cause for pause and consider­ the local congressman ignores us, we ation that over the past 150 years Basho tion that the death penalty is a modern Los Angeles use no city services, and yet we are citi­ form of lynching is one we need to take Marxists as well as the Catholic Church zens? very seriously. have made almost zero influence among Native Americans. I am not being criti­ Incarcerated Laurie Cashdan cal. I am thinking aloud. SURVIVING TV Illinois Chicago The alienated nature of mainstream * * * Prisoner TV has reached a new level this summer We have written to foreign Secretary Texas with the creation of "Survivor," a pro­ PUERTO RICAN RIGHTS Robin Cook calling on the British gov­ gram that shows dehumanization and You should know that the National ernment to make representations to survival-of-the-fittest to win large sums Congress for Puerto Rican Rights issued Clinton and Bush on human rights MARX'S ANGER of money. Taking survival as its focus is a very strong statement calling the grounds. We welcomed Cook's call for I appreciated Charles Herr's critique, perfect for this period in history. The Central Park attackers "enemies of the Abdullah Ocalan not to be executed and in his review of Marx on Suicide, ofthe most alarming aspect for me isn't that it Latino and Black communities." They called on him to do the same for Shaka way Eric Plaut, one ofthe editors, talked was created by television moguls, but gave three powerful reasons for their Sankofa. We also pointed out that the about Marx's anger, since it is a common that millions are now regular viewers. denunciation of the young men who car­ International Convention of the Rights perspective. At one point in the play This "idea" was based on a prototype ried put the sexual assaults in East of the Child should apply, as Shaka was "Marx in Soho" his anger is attributed to from another country in which the first Harlem on Saturday and Central Park only 17 at the time of his alleged crime, his carbuncles—to which Marx in the man "voted off the island" committed on Sunday, June 10 and 11. and the Convention bans the death play replies, "What about all those revo­ suicide. It is hard to imagine anything The first was that anyone who forces penalty in such cases. It has been rati­ lutionaries who don't have carbuncles?" worse they could have in store for us himself on women in any way is an fied by every country in the world except The point is that there is an objective unless it is the program that will round oppressor and that no form of abuse or the USA and Somalia. reason for that anger that transcends out the summer line-up—"Big Brother," disrespect that reduces the participation Richard Bunting psychology. David in which George Orwell's 1984 is no of women in the community would be Oxford Oakland, Cal. longer fiction but fact. tolerated. The second was that anyone * * * Disgusted who adds to the fear and instability of That Bush is planning one execution Illinois the community is an enemy and will be a week in Texas from now to the INVITATION TO A MARXIST fought just like racist politicians, greedy November election shows voters exactly slum landlords, uncaring educators, and what they will be voting for when they SUMMER SCHOOL A CORRECTION brutal cops. The third was that this go into those booths. As the number of Join us at the New York Marxist As several readers have pointed out, year's National Puerto Rican Parade Americans opposed to the death penalty School for our 22nd Annual Intensive there was a mistake in the article in the and celebration were telling the world continues to grow, it remains to be seen Summer School on "Global Cities/Urban June issue on "Mothers on the move." that the Puerto Rican people are united whether this strategy serves him well or Crisis: Marxism in the Age of E- The Mothers ofthe Plaza de Mayo are in in their demand that the U.S. govern­ backfires. Commerce," which will run from Argentina, of course, not in Chile. The ment stop the bombing of Vieques, but Erica Rae Sunday, July 9 through Friday, July 21. mothers in Chile have also been trying the sex attacks by mobs of young men Illinois Along with the basic works of Marx and for many years to find out what hap­ was the only story the media considered Engels, this two-week study will exam­ pened to their children after Pinochet's newsworthy. ine the work of contemporary urban the­ coup and have been trying to bring their At the same time, they made it clear 1921 TULSA REVISITED orists. Teachers include Sam Anderson, children's torturers and murderers to that condemning this group of sexist In the May 2000 issue, Lou Turner Mary Boger, Ellen Braune, Steve Brier, justice. Their creative opposition is to men was not meant to imply that all writes that "there is no separation Hector Figueroa, Gina Neff> Maisha the new government's blanket amnesty men in the Black and Latino community between past, present, and future." In Perez, Annette T. Rubinstein, Neil for all political murders committed dur­ are criminals. Given the NYPD's history that vein I offer some comments con­ Smith and Brenda Stokely. The cost for ing that time. Page 10 NEWS & LETTERS JULY 2000 Black/Red View Criminalized for being Black *»" in Horn of Africa by John Alan thing else." There are historic, ideological and economic reasons Giuliani's hunters had a license to kill Black men, and for the war between Eritrea and Ethiopia. Eritrea, which Recently I went to Sacramento, Cal. to protest with they did kill Amadou Diallo, an unarmed African immi­ for 50 years was under Italian colonial rule, never gained thousands of others against the racial profiling of African- grant, as he was about to enter his own apartment in the independence after the defeat of Italian forces in World American drivers by California police, "driving while Bronx. They were acquitted by a jury for doing it. War IL in which Eritrean forces played a vital role. Black." It is amazing that this practice of criminalizing British rule from 1941 to 1952 and Ethiopian coloniza­ people for merely being Black occurs 36 years after a mass IN THE GUISE OF LEGAL EQUALITY tion from 1952 onward instigated strong nationalist feel­ movement achieved seminal civil rights victories. Another area of racism is the courts. A recently released ings within the Eritrean people, which lay the ground for Three decades ago the,militant mass action of the Civil survey by the National Corrections Reporting Program the national liberation struggle in 1961 under the lead­ Rights Movement during the administrations of presi­ (1996) and Bureau of Census data reveal that the nation's ership of the Eritrean Liberation Forces (ELF). dents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson forced war on drugs has had a disproportionate impact on The ELF never developed to face the challenges of the Congress to enact a number of civil rights laws that ended African Americans who are far more likely than whites to liberation struggle, but found itself more and more racial segregation in public places and restored political be sent to prison. According to this survey, African involved in sectarian struggle within the movement. rights taken from Southern African Americans during the Americans are 62% of the drug offenders sent to prison, Some of the forces involved in this movement had hidden post-Reconstruction era. However, this great victory, this while whites make up only 32%. second political emancipation of African Americans, like agendas, thus, for example, making it possible for Saudi the first one during the Civil War in 1863, did not uproot These percentages are startling, but African Americans Arabia to achieve an impasse in the liberation struggle racism, the social division of this nation along racial lines. long have known that racism permeates the halls of jus­ through its relationship with some of the Islamist groups tice. They also have known that race is not the special in the alliance. Racism is quite different today from the way it was property of conservatives and reactionaries. For instance, The overthrow of the Ethiopian regime of Haile practiced some 50 years ago. Now it is not a practice of liberal President Clinton made Black crime a major issue Selassie in 1974 following the famine brought to the fore­ refusing to serve Black people at a food counter in a five- of his first administration. and-dime store or forcing Blacks to sit in the back of the front the pro-Stalinist Workers Party of Ethiopia under bus. Prevailing over those racist practices was undeniably This retrogression into the practice of racism under the the leadership of Mengistu. The Workers Party never a significant victory. A mass act of revolt challenged and legal formalism of equal rights points to the need to heed saw the national question as a fundamental question, vanquished a social segment of the old white master/Black the warning Karl Marx issued a long time ago. Liberation even though it claimed to be Marxist-Leninist. It was social slave relationship. is cut short if social movements stop with victories on the determined to crush all liberation struggles within the political stage instead of going deeper to work out libera­ Ethiopian empire and almost eradicated the ELF forces However, the victories of the Civil Rights Movement tion in social relations in our everyday lives. in 197S during the Soviet military intervention. seemed to suffer the fateful prediction of Alexis de Tocqueville. He wrote in the early 19th century that "...in A more serious liberation movement was established the United States the prejudice which repels the Negroes by 1970 in Eritrea, the Eritrean Peoples Liberation seems to increase in proportion as they are emancipated, Black World Front (EPLF), which was ideologically inspired by and inequality is sanctioned by the manners while it is Chairman Mao and had a national democratic program effaced from the laws of the country." (Continued from page 1) with a line of struggle independent from the influence of the Soviet Union, China and the USA. It was perhaps must take it to the nation. We must keep our faith. We must REACTIONARY POLITICAL TRENDS the only liberation struggle in Africa able to maintain go forward. We recognize that many leaders have died: such independence; none of the superpowers were inter­ De Tocqueville's prediction, whether or not it was an Malcolm X, Martin Luther King, and others who stood up for what was right. They stood up for what was just. We ested in the liberation struggle or an independent accidental insight, certainly applies to what has happened Eritrea. in this country since 1964 when the U.S. Senate, after 83 must, you must, brothers; that's why I have called you days of debate, passed the most sweeping civil rights act today. You must carry on that tradition. IDEOLOGICAL CONFLICT in the history of this nation. White middle-class What is here is just a lynching that is taking place. But Americans were convinced this act was a threat to their they're going to keep on lynching us for the next 100 years, The Tigre Peoples Liberation Front (TPLF), dominat­ families, homes, social lives, schools and jobs, and set in if you do not carry on that tradition and that resistance. We ed by the pro-Albanian Marxist-Leninist League of motion a "white backlash." This "white backlash" fright­ will prevail. We may lose this battle, but we will win the Tigre, has been the dominant force in the Ethiopian gov­ ened the liberal politicians and gave birth to powerful war. This death, this lynching will be avenged. The people ernment since the liberation of Ethiopia from the reactionary racist trends in both of the capitalist parties. must avenge this murder. So my brothers, all of yall stay Stalinist regime of Mengistu. The TPLF believed that all Hence, over the last 36 years the social and political strong, continue to move forward. national groupings within gains made by the Civil Rights Movement were cancelled Know that I love all of you. I love the people, I love all of the Ethiopian empire had a or sharply cut. At the same time as the idea and the prac­ you for your blessing, strength, for your courage, for your right to national self-deter­ tice of African-American equality and freedom was pushed dignity, the way you have come here tonight, and the way mination, and a greater off the stage of history, this nation has moved continuous­ you have protested and kept this nation together. Keep Tigre was a fundamental ly toward the practice of aggressive racism in politics and moving forward, my brothers. Slavery couldn't stop us. The aim in its liberation strug­ in the judiciary system. lynchings couldn't stop us in the South. This lynching will gle. For example, New York City's mayor, Rudolph Giuliani, not stop us tonight. We will go forward. Our destiny in this Though there had been in a racially motivated drive to cut the crime rate, created country is freedom and hberation. We will gain our freedom serious ideological conflict a special squad of police officers to roam the streets of the and hberation by any means necessary. By any means nec­ between the TPLF and the city to apprehend and disarm any suspicious individuals. essary, we keep marching forward. EPLF, their relationship According to The New York-Times, almost all of the people I love you, Mr. [Jesse] Jackson. Bianca [Jagger], make was of great importance in these officers stopped and frisked were African Americans. sure that the state does not get my body. Make sure that we the struggle against the Hundreds of African Americans were stopped and humili­ get my name as Shaka Sankofa. My name is not Gary Stalinist regime and in the ated by white policemen wearing T-shirts stamped with a Graham. Make sure that it is properly presented on my marginahzation of the reactionary ELF forces. The mili­ quote from Ernest Hemingway: "Those who have hunted grave: Shaka Sankofa. tary forces of the two movements played the decisive role armed men long enough and like it, never care for any- I want you to take this thing off into international court, during the final assault against Addis Ababa in 1991. Mr. Robert Mohammed and all yall. I want you to get my The Ethiopian government gave support to the inde­ family and take this to international court and file a law­ pendence of Eritrea after the 1993 referendum. This suit. Get all the videotapes of all the beatings. They have brought about an internal crisis within the governing Health care runaround beat me up in the back. They have beat me up at the unit Ethiopian Peoples Revolutionary Democratic Front Memphis, Tenn.— My daughter was diagnosed over there. Get all the videotapes supporting that lawsuit. (EPRDF). There are forces within the EPRDF who are almost two years ago when she was 14 years old with a And make the public exposed to the genocide and this bru­ against the division of Ethiopia, thus raising questions rare cancer. The doctor from the University of Tennessee tal world, and let the world see what is really happening as to the final intentions of the government of Meles said the chemotherapy she was given for a year was an here behind closed doors. Let the world see the barbarity Senawl, who is from the TPLF. The conflict led to the experimental treatment. At the end of the year they said and injustice of what is really happening here. withdrawal of the Oromo Peoples Democratic she didn't have the cancer anymore. Reverend Jesse Jackson, know that this murder, this Organization and the Oromo Peoples Liberation Force My daughter went to Florida to stay with her sister and lynching will not be forgotten. I love you, too, my brother. from tike EPRDF to continue their struggle for the liber­ go to school there. I knew she would have to be checked by This is genocide in America. This is what happens to Black ation af Oromo. a doctor, so I had the insurance transferred to Florida. As men when they stand up and protest for what is right and THE WAR'S IMPLICATIONS soon as she came home, I took her to the doctor in just. We refuse to compromise, we refuse to surrender [our] Memphis. That is when they said that the cancer had come dignity for what we know is right. But we will move on, we Eritrea has insisted that the border conflict with back. Getting the insurance transferred back here was the have been strong in the past. Ethiopia started in July 1997, not May 1998 as the problem; it was lost in the system." From January to May We will continue to be strong as a people. You can Mil a Organization of African Unity indicated. The Ethiopian the doctors were saying my daughter needed treatment revolutionary, but you cannot stop the revolution. The revo­ government's war might be a tactical move to satisfy fac­ and wouldn't give it to her. lution will go on. The people will carry the revolution on. tions within the TPLF who are still determined to see an As soon as I got the insurance, they were ready to inject You are the people that must carry that revolution on, in independent greater Tigre. Eritrea shares a border with her, Seeing the difference in the way she was treated when order to liberate our children from this genocide and what Tigre, which made Eritrean independence a sensitive she got the insurance back made me so angry. I understand is happening here in America tonight, what has happened issue within the TPLF alliance. There is also an eco­ health care is a business, but they knew I had TennCare and for the last 100 or so years in America. nomic factor in Ethiopia's interest in having access to the all I needed was to get this paperwork straightened out. The And know that victory is assured. Victory for the people harbor towns of Assab and Massawa. The TPLF not only doctor was telling me it was a life or death situation, and yet will be assured. We will gain our freedom and hberation in is in conflict with its former comrade in arms, but open­ my daughter's treatment was held up due to paperwork. this country. We will gain it and we will do it by any means ly gives support to the reactionary forces of the ELF, When the insurance came through, the doctor tried to necessary. We will keep marching. March on Black people. which is now the main opposition party in Eritrea. schedule her the very next morning for chemo shots. They Keep your heads high. March on. All yall leaders. March on. The EPLF in Eritrea seems to have given up its couldn't do it because they have to make up the serum, so Take your message to the people. Maoist ideological positions, now finding allies away they scheduled her for lab tests—anything to get her in Preach the moratorium for all executions. We're going to from the revolutionary forces, turning its back on the there now that they would get money. We went the next end the death penalty in this country. We are going to end Eritrean peasants, who have been the main force of the day, but the insurance hadn't shown up in the hospital's it all across this world. movement, and making the women's Hberation struggle system, and they wouldn't give her the tests even though I This is nothing more than pure and simple murder hap­ a secondary issue. The political degeneration of the showed the forms proving I had the insurance! It has been pening tonight in America. Nothing more than state sanc­ EPLF leadership might be an important factor in creat­ weeks and my daughter still hasn't started the chemo, and tioned murder, state sanctioned lynching, right here in ing an opening for the reactionary forces of the ELF. now the doctor has left town. America tonight. This is what is happening my brothers. The EPRDF, which launched a military offensive at a The hospital gave her an appointment for next month Nothing less. They know I'm innocent. They've got the facts time when millions of Ethiopian people face famine, will with a new oncologist. My daughter asked, "You mean I'm to prove it. But they cannot acknowledge my innocence, in the near future find itself in conflict with other liber­ going to have to go through all this again?" She is because to do so would be to publicly admit their guilt. ation struggles within the country. There is great poten­ depressed and doesn't have anybody to talk to. Sometimes This is something these racist people will never do. We tial, with the experience of the people in both countries, she says, "I'm dying." That is why I was looking for a sup­ must remember, brothers, this is what we're faced with. You for new forces to bring to the forefront fundamental port group for teenage cancer patients. must take this endeavor forward. You must stay strong. You questions of survival and liberation. The women, espe­ I asked the first doctor we saw if my daughter's cancer must continue to hold your heads up and to be there. All of cially in Eritrea, played a great role in the liberation could be the result of environmental pollution. I lived with­ you who are standing with me in solidarity, we will prevail. struggle, and their marginahzation since victory brings in blocks of the Memphis Defense Depot, which is a We will keep marching. Keep marching Black people, to the tore serious political questions coming from with­ Superfund site. The doctor couldn't confirm it, but after my Black power. Keep marching Black people, Black power. in the women's hberation movement. That gives all hope daughter was diagnosed, I moved as soon as I could. They are killing me tonight. They are murdering me that the situation is not as hopeless as it appears. —Black working mom tonight. —Ba Karang JULY 2000 NEWS & LETTERS Page 11 UiHiMfl Critical comments on Student denounces ^'