La oficina de correos 12

Workers and oppressed peoples of the world unite! workers.org Vol. 62 No. 35 Aug. 27, 2020 $1 RESIST KILLER COPS! editorial Abolish the police

The recent Republican convention—led by the white-supremacist-in-chief, current U.S. president and enemy of the people—​rallied its troops with racist scare tactics about “civil unrest” by Black Lives Matter protest- ers and left-wing activists. The Democratic convention offered an alternative, but not a solution. This party nominated for U.S. presi- dent one of the main authors of a 1994 tough-on-crime bill that wound up sentencing a hugely disproportion- ate number of Black and Brown people to jail. For vice president, the Democrats nominated a former California attorney general who self-describes as “top cop.” Meanwhile, in the few days between the two conven- tions, the cops of racist “law enforcement”—​the struc- Portland, Ore., Aug. 18. PHOTO: MATTHIEU LEWIS-ROLLAND ture of policing that protects the interests of the U.S. billionaire ruling class—continued to gun people down. On Aug. 22, cops shot Trayford Pellerin dead in the streets of Lafayette, La., right in his own neighborhood. Portlanders push back cops, fascists Pellerin, a Black man, was on foot. His family pointed out the contrast between their loved one’s fate and that By Joshua Hanks time. Originally concentrated downtown across from a of a white man arrested recently by Lafayette cops with- Portland, Ore. federal courthouse and the headquarters of PPB – which out injury, despite his being armed with a gun and driv- also houses the county jail – protests have since fanned ing a stolen car. Aug. 24 – For nearly three months, thousands of peo- out across the city into residential neighborhoods. The The next day ple in this city have joined nightly protests, marches PPB East Precinct and the police “union” headquarters in Kenosha, Wis., and demonstrations denouncing racist police brutality. in North Portland have become epicenters of protests, cops shot Jacob While met with heavy police repression, the crowds have with large crowds facing off against cops who are now Blake in the back continued to gather undeterred, even in the face of fed- using tear gas in residential neighborhoods. multiple times, also eral officers sent by President Trump to “quell” protests Residents have been rattled by the presence of police in his own neigh- in the city. in their neighborhoods.The cops often do not wear iden- borhood. Blake, a While Trump claimed an early victory, the reality on tifying badges and can legally occupy private property, 29-year-old African the ground showed that the federal police presence only such as yards surrounding people’s homes, in order to American, had just inflamed the situation and drove even more residents to mount surprise attacks on protesters. tried to break up a local fight and was returning to his come out into the streets. After repeated use of clouds of An Aug. 14 article in The Oregonian describes the car. His sons—ages​ 3, 5 and 8—were​ in the car and saw tear gas and other violent weapons failed to stop the pro- experience of one resident, Karen Roberts, who had up the cops shoot their father. Blake is expected to survive, tests, federal officers withdrew from attempts to repress to 30 unidentified officers occupy her yard. “Roberts said but with unknown physical injuries. Reports on Aug. 25 the crowds. Oregon state police came in to replace federal when they were asked to identify themselves, instead say he is paralyzed from the waist down. officers, yet those are also being pushed out of the city. they threatened her neighbor, saying, ‘Turn your flash- In response to these continuing acts of racist police Now back in charge of “controlling” protests is the light off or we will come back and arrest you—​we know brutality, hundreds of Black Lives Matter protest- Portland Police Bureau—which drew widespread con- where you live.’” (tinyurl.com/y45qu88v) ers immediately began marching in Louisiana and demnation when it deployed tear gas in huge amounts in Wisconsin. Police collude with fascists the early days of the demonstrations. Federal and state In Kenosha, Wis., local cops deluged them with interventions having failed, the PPB is essentially back As police repression continues and spreads beyond the tear gas and pepper spray, and the governor deployed to square one. downtown core, another familiar threat has emerged: National Guard troops. In Madison, the state capital, the The locations of the protests have also shifted over Continued on page 7 Continued on page 8

COVID-19 Webinar Editorial DNC scrutinized 10 Cuba’s solidarity 9 China’s success 11 Philly houseless defiant 2 Post Office protests 3 Women in Georgia jail Racist cop attacks NBA executive 6 Wildfires in California 4-5 Margaret Sanger’s contradictions 6 Jamil Al-Amin Bryant Arroyo N. Carolina campus openings fail 7 Lezmond Mitchell Black August tribute Vietnam 8 Philippines 8 Mali coup 10 Page 2 Aug. 27, 2020 workers.org

Philadelphia Houseless resist second eviction effort this week By Marie Kelly Philadelphia ◆ In the U.S. Aug. 18 — An encampment of Resist killer cops ...... 1 over 100 houseless people sits on Houseless resist second eviction effort ...... 2 the Benjamin Franklin Parkway 800+ protests say ‘Defend the Postal Service!’ . . .3 here, steps away from the iconic art museum of “Rocky” movie fame and Prisoners face wildfires and COVID‑19 ...... 4 under the noses of the Philadelphia Fight for abolition ...... 4 bourgeoisie. JTD camp is a self-de- Thousands demand new trial for Imam Al-Amin . 4 clared autonomous and cop-free Deaths of women prisoners in Georgia ...... 5 zone providing a safe environment at a time when the COVID pandemic The psychological impact of solitary confinement . 5 is ravaging the city. A large “Black Stop the execution of Lezmond Mitchell . . . . . 5 Lives Matter” banner hangs at the Black NBA executive abused by white police officer 6 entrance. Planned Parenthood’s Margaret Sanger problem . 6 The James Talib Dean camp, No. Carolina universities’ COVID‑19 explosion . . 7 named to honor an organizer who WW PHOTO: JOE PIETTE died shortly after it was established in Activist Samantha Rise speaks as others hold makeshift shields to protect houseless Philly rally demands unemployment pay . . . . . 7 June, is the latest in a series of camps encampment on Aug. 18. No walls for billionaires ...... 10 set up by local activist groups. The JTD camp and a smaller Camp Teddy—on the site of the rallied overnight and into the early morning of Aug. 18. ◆ Around the world new multimillion-dollar Philadelphia Housing Authority They erected makeshift barricades while a strong defen- 75th anniversary of Vietnam’s August Revolution . 8 (PHA) headquarters in North Philadelphia—show that sive force maneuvered along the camp’s outskirts, accord- the Kenney administration has repeatedly failed the poor. ing to Workers World Party members on the ground. Long live the memory of Ka Randy! ...... 8 The PHA suffers from mismanagement at best. When no police had appeared by midmorning, it was COVID can be defeated ...... 9 OccupyPHA, the Workers Revolutionary Group and the clear the city had backed down. The organizers agreed to Cuba: global leader in the fight against COVID . . 9 Black and Brown Workers Cooperative, among others, are return to the bargaining table with the city, but remained Mass protests force out leaders in Mali . . . . . 10 stepping in to fill the void created by the city’s failure to firm on their demand for permanent housing. The injunc- solve Philadelphia’s growing housing crisis. tion against any eviction expires Aug. 25. How China won the COVID‑19 fight ...... 11 An eviction notice posted by the city on Aug. 17 gave res- ◆ Editorial idents less than 24 hours to leave or be forcibly removed. Moratorium on selling public housing properties This second attempt to sweep away the camp was halted The demands by camp organizers call for the city to trans- Abolish the police ...... 1 by an injunction filed Aug. 20. The eviction threats are the fer ownership of vacant housing properties away from the Not being Trump is not enough ...... 10 mayor’s attempt to pacify residents of luxury condos lining PHA, Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority (RDA) and the parkway, whose gentrifier sensitivities are upset by the Philadelphia Housing Development Corporation (PHDC). ◆ Noticias en Español presence of the camp on their doorsteps. The properties would instead be placed into a permanent La oficina de correos ...... 12 The camp’s message is clear. They will not disperse until community land trust for permanent low-income housing, Mayor Jim Kenney guarantees permanent housing for all administered by local community controlled committees. residents of the camp. Camp organizers and supporters Continued on page 3 Workers World 147 W. 24th St., 2nd Fl. New York, NY 10011 Join us in the fight Phone: 212.627.2994 E-mail: [email protected] for socialism! Web: www.workers.org Vol. 62, No. 35 • Aug. 27, 2020 Workers World Party is a revolutionary Marxist-Leninist and trans people are gunned down by cops and bigots on Closing date: Aug. 26, 2020 party inside the belly of the imperialist beast. We are a mul- a regular basis. Editor: Deirdre Griswold tinational, multigenerational and multigendered organiza- The ruthless ruling class today seeks to wipe out tion that not only aims to abolish capitalism, but to build a decades of gains and benefits won by hard-fought strug- Managing Editors: John Catalinotto, Martha Grevatt, socialist society because it’s the only way forward! gles by people’s movements. The super-rich and their Monica Moorehead, Betsey Piette, Minnie Bruce Pratt Capitalism and imperialism threaten the peoples of the political representatives have intensified their attacks on Web Editors: ABear, Harvey Markowitz, Janet Mayes world and the planet itself in the neverending quest for the multinational, multigender and multigenerational Prisoners Page Editors: Mirinda Crissman, Ted Kelly ever-greater profits. working class. It is time to point the blame at—​and chal- Capitalism means war and austerity, racism and lenge—the​ capitalist system. Production & Design Editors: Gery Armsby, Mirinda repression, attacks on im/migrants, misogyny, LGBTQ2+ WWP fights for socialism because the working class Crissman, Sasha Mazumder, Scott Williams oppression and mistreatment of people with disabili- produces all wealth in society, and this wealth should Copyediting and Proofreading: Paddy Colligan, ties. It means joblessness, increasing homelessness and remain in their hands, not be stolen in the form of capi- Sue Davis, S. Hedgecoke impoverishment and lack of hope for the future. No social talist profits. The wealth workers create should be socially Contributing Editors: LeiLani Dowell, G. Dunkel, problems can be solved under capitalism. owned and its distribution planned to satisfy and guaran- K. Durkin, Sara Flounders, Teresa Gutierrez, Joshua The U.S. is the richest country in the world, yet no one tee basic human needs. Hanks, Makasi Motema, Gloria Rubac has a guaranteed right to shelter, food, water, health care, Since 1959, Workers World Party has been out in the education or anything else—​unless they can pay for it. streets defending the workers and oppressed here and Mundo Obero: Teresa Gutierrez, Carlos Vargas Wages are lower than ever, and youth are saddled with worldwide. If you’re interested in Marxism, socialism Supporter Program: Coordinator Sue Davis seemingly insurmountable student debt, if they even and fighting for a socialist future, please contact a WWP Copyright © 2020 Workers World. Verbatim copying make it to college. Black, Brown and Indigenous youth branch near you. ☐ and distribution of articles is permitted in any medium without royalty provided this notice is preserved. If you are interested in joining Workers World Party contact: 212.627.2994 Workers World (ISSN-1070-4205) is published weekly except the last week of December by WW Publishers, National Office Boston Durham, N.C. Portland, Ore. 147 W. 24th St., 2nd floor 284 Amory St. 804 Old Fayetteville St. [email protected] 147 W. 24th St. 2nd Fl., New York, NY 10011. Phone: New York, NY 10011 Boston, MA 02130 Durham, NC 27701 212.627.2994. Subscriptions: One year: $36; institu- Salt Lake City 212.627.2994 617.522.6626 919.322.9 970 tions: $50. 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Box 34249 Periodicals postage paid at New York, N.Y. Oakland, CA 94609 [email protected] Philadelphia, PA 19101 POSTMASTER: Send address changes to 510.394.2207 610.931.2615 Workers World, 147 W. 24th St. 2nd Fl. [email protected] [email protected] New York, N.Y. 10011. workers.org Aug. 27, 2020 Page 3 Over 800 U.S. protests say ‘Defend the Postal Service!’ By Joe Piette collection boxes. When asked if DeJoy should be prosecuted for violating federal Philadelphia Richard Wright was a postal worker statutes against delay of mail, Stroman in the early 1930s, before he joined the replied: “Whether he intended it or not, the Federal Writers Project and became a mail is being delayed.” (MSNBC, Aug. 21) renowned novelist. Two of his novels fea- The popular conception is that mail ture Black postal workers as the main char- delays are an effort by the Trump admin- acters, with perceptive descriptions of the istration to suppress voting rights as part special oppression of Black workers as they of a naked attempt to illegitimately reelect performed the repetitive tasks involved this openly racist, misogynist, antilabor, in mail processing, working under close right-wing president. supervision by white managers to ensure Amid heavy criticism that the moves maximum exploitation of the workers. were causing delays in mail delivery and Wright wrote about repressive condi- could undermine the November election, tions in the Postal Service during a time which will rely heavily on mail-in ballots of weak and racist unions, Jim Crow and because of the coronavirus pandemic, WW PHOTO: JOE PIETTE lynchings. Postal workers had to put up DeJoy decided to suspend his plans until More than 100 people rallied outside a Philadelphia post office Aug. 22, as part of over 800 with the spoils system, in which the politi- after the November elections. other similar rallies to save the postal service. cal party that won the White House gained A Washington Post article revealed the right to award tens of thousands of that additional postal restructuring Houston postal management jobs to its supporters, plans DeJoy will introduce in November thus securing their loyalty but disrupting “include raising package rates, partic- postal production after every election. ularly when delivering the last mile on The postmaster general, inevitably a behalf of big retailers; setting higher political crony and fixer eager to do the prices for service in Alaska, Hawaii and president’s bidding, held a seat in the fed- Puerto Rico; curbing discounts for non- eral Cabinet, which oversaw this immense profits; requiring election ballots to use patronage scheme. first-class postage; and leasing space in The corrupt patronage system ended Postal Service facilities to other govern- only with the great postal strike of 1970, ment agencies and companies.” (Aug. 20) after which Congress passed the Postal Thousands rally for USPS Reorganization Act (PRA). It created a gov- WW PHOTO: GLORIA RUBAC ernment/business hybrid run by a Board of In response to current mail delays, after One of two demonstrations in Houston on Aug. 21 in solidarity with USPS workers. Governors nominated by the U.S. President weeks of signing petitions and making and confirmed by the Senate, with a post- phone calls to Congressional members, master general chosen by that board. thousands of people took part in more Thanks to the strengthened postal than 800 rallies at post offices around the Berkeley, Calif. unions, plus the mass movements of the U.S. on Aug. 22. Demands included a $25 1960s and 1970s, Black and Brown and billion rescue fund for the Postal Service, women workers got hired by the U.S. repeal of an onerous 75-year pre-funding Postal Service more easily than by private requirement and the firing of DeJoy for industry, where racist and sexist attitudes delaying the mail. were harder to combat, especially in non- The American Postal Workers Union union businesses. Today, 40% of postal is organizing another day of post office workers are women. Nearly 40% are peo- rallies on Aug. 25. Their demands are: ple of color, including im/migrants. “Provide at least $25 billion in immedi- ate support for the Postal Service; Stop Board of rich white men the mail slowdown policies introduced by WW PHOTO: JUDY GREENSPAN However, recent changes in top postal Postmaster General DeJoy; Ensure public Residents before downtown Berkeley Post Office join national day of protest to “Save the positions should be seen as serious threats confidence in voting-by-mail by provid- Post Office.” Dave Welsh, a retired letter carrier and veteran of the fight to save the Berkeley to these living wage jobs. Privatization is ing all necessary resources for the most Post Office, addresses the crowd. coming, unless the people can put up a timely delivery of election mail possible.” roadblock to these corporate plans. Despite a national order not to reinstall stations, letter carriers, as a united work- 20th century. His eldest daughter, Julia Recent articles in the mainstream letter-sorting machines that had been force, have refused to leave for the street Wright, herself an internationally known press have revealed how current Board dismantled over the past month, Postal until all mail has been cased (sorted), human rights leader, still pays atten- of Governors members and the new post- Service plants in Tacoma and Wenatchee, forcing management to back down and tion to the postal service where her dad master general were appointed based on Wash., have done just that, according to approve overtime. worked and the struggles of people who their political standing, not their knowl- workers there. The two plants’ machines work there today. edge of the postal industry, in violation of were revived even though the Postal What would Richard Wright think? After reading about growing postal the PRA’s anti-patronage intentions. Service’s head of maintenance, Kevin Richard Wright died in 1960 when resistance this week, Wright emailed President Trump personally directed Couch, had ordered plants countrywide he was only 52 years old. The former this writer with a message of solidarity: Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin to on Aug. 18 not to do so. postal worker is widely acknowledged as “Richard is grinning: May the defiance find board members willing to follow his And at one of Milwaukee’s postal one of the most important writers of the spread !!!” ☐ directives. The result is a board made up of wealthy white men, who in turn appointed Mnuchin’s handpicked Postmaster General Louis DeJoy, an XPO Logistics executive, Philadelphia houseless resist second eviction effort known for his antilabor policies and giv- ing significant financial support to the Continued from page 2 that Jeremiah “continues to attempt to north is tenuous. Residents, organizers Republican Party and Trump. discredit our work by making false and and supporters are pragmatic when it David Williams, former vice chair- Organizers also want a city morato- defamatory statements. ...He keeps bring- comes to dealing with the city, but their man of the Board of Governors until his rium against PHA, RDA or PHDC buying, ing up how what we are doing is unfair to mood and energy remain upbeat and res- April resignation in protest of Mnuchin’s acquiring, obtaining, trading, auctioning the people on the waiting list [for perma- olute. No one is leaving despite the city’s involvement, told House Democrats on or selling off properties to private entities nent PHA housing]; however, when PHA ultimatum. Aug. 20 that Mnuchin demanded new until all PHA waiting list applicants have builds new units, they do not go to people Mike Wilson, Workers World Party governors “come to his office to kiss the been housed. The moratorium would stay on the waiting list. PHA actually opens member and camp supporter, states the ring and receive his blessing before con- in place pending an independent study on new applications and gives a couple days plain truth: “The rich and the powerful firmation.” (Washington Post, Aug. 22) the effects of mass sales and trade-offs on to apply, sometimes in person.” dictate to us what is true, legal and cul- “I resigned from the Board of Governors communities and community members. This is a very troublesome practice turally acceptable. The main camp is sur- because I was convinced that its indepen- (tinyurl.com/y6b633b8) considering the precarious situation of rounded by the who’s who of this city. dent role had been marginalized and that Kelvin Jeremiah, CEO of the PHA, con- houseless individuals. Alarmingly, PHA is The poor and dispossessed dared to move representations regarding an independent tinues to lie and vilify individuals working in the habit of selling properties to devel- into their fancy neighborhood. When [the Postal Service for the nation were no longer tirelessly to expose the abuses of the PHA. opers who resell them at full market value. poor] are sleeping in subway stations, or truthful,” Williams said. (The Hill, Aug. 20) Nadera Hood is one such individual. She Jeremiah commands a lucrative salary and under a bridge, it’s okay—the rich don’t Ronald Stroman, who this spring routinely livestreams proof of the ram- lives in an affluent neighborhood on the have to face the failures of this system. also resigned from the Postal Board of pant neglect and abuse by the PHA and city's outskirts. His home is now guarded “We need change—real change. These Governors, severely criticized the mail their strong-arm private police force. by PHA police, after being targeted with people literally have nothing. Go ahead delays caused by DeJoy’s new work rules Banned from posting on PHA face- protests by houseless organizers. and bulldoze the camps. They will re-form directives and his decision to remove book page, Hood is nevertheless an out- The fate of the JTD camp on the somehow and someway—because there mail-sorting machines and blue mail spoken critic on social media, saying Parkway and the Teddy camp in the city’s is no other choice!” ☐ Page 4 Aug. 27, 2020 workers.org

Build solidarity with prisoners Fight for abolition! By Mirinda Crissman According to the Marshall Project, where the repressive U.S. model of pris- stolen resources toward human needs like “Several state prison units are located on ons and policing has been exported, we health care, housing, safe water and food This slightly edited talk was given at former plantations where mostly Black are fighting for abolition like our lives and to transform the root causes of suffer- an Aug. 13 Workers World Party webi- and Brown people are still forced to work depend on it. Because they do. ing and violence. nar, “From Black August to Black Lives in the fields. Many still harvest cotton. The U.S. empire has a violently extreme From Black August to today’s move- Matter,” hosted by the WWP Prisoners These prisoners still don’t get paid in history of institutionalizing and codify- ment for Black Lives, we honor every rev- Solidarity Committee. Texas. And they still ing white supremacy. Prisons in form olutionary who came before us, making face punishment if and function are monuments to white it ever possible to win better futures. We Revolutionary greet- they refuse to work.” supremacy. They are concentration camps honor them by practicing abolition and ings from Houston, Texas also has 26 for the poor, oppressed nationalities and practicing revolution everyday. Texas, a city that con- Immigration and dissenters. We recently reformed the Prisoners tains the country’s third Customs Enforcement This is exemplified in this moment of Solidarity Committee because as abo- largest jail. The Harris Detention Facilities global pandemic, where the rapidly accel- litionists, we fight the isolation of pris- County Jails sit right that detain migrants erating and completely preventable deaths ons, jails and detention centers and the on Buffalo Bayou, just who are often trying of people inside and outside prisons are an divisions that those violently maintain. yards away from where to escape the [results act of genocide. This does not come as a And we fight it with the most power- the city was founded on of] political and envi- revelation, but as a call to action. ful weapon we have, and that’s solidar- stolen Indigenous land, ronmental violence by We’re not building toward reform of ity. From Auburn to Attica in the 1970s, and in an area that IMAGE: KEVIN RASHID JOHNSON the U.S. government any of these institutions. Prisons, jails and the Prisoners Solidarity Committee built has flooded reliably abroad. Migrants in detention centers are themselves a reform structures of resistance centered on incar- through several major hurricanes in the detention in south Texas have risen up of enslavement and encomiendas. Reform cerated people and their families and last century. The Harris County Jail com- and practiced hunger strikes and work gives us more of what we’ve already got – communities they were stolen from. plex cages over 8,000 prisoners, most of stoppages only to be met with brutality by structures of ceaseless violence that con- As a member of the original Prisoners whom are awaiting trial. guards in riot gear. These revolutionary tinue to maintain wealth accumulation Solidarity Committee, Leslie Feinberg has I am speaking to you from the state of actions to resist death are an affront to the for human traffickers and perpetrators of said, “The only way we can build real sol- Texas where 75 of the state’s 104 prisons ruling class — and an inspiration to us all. genocide. idarity in our movements is to be the best do not have air conditioning and where We are building toward abolition, fighters of each other’s oppression. It’s the temperatures often rise above 100 degrees ‘Self-determination by any means’ toward revolution. We support diversity kind of solidarity that’s forged in the heat in the summer. These prisons have a hard From an always-present and ever-grow- of tactics and the right of the oppressed of struggle that makes lasting bonds.” (“We time retaining guards on staff. Guards who, ing movement of abolitionists in Texas, to self-defense and self-determination by Are Everywhere: Protest, Power, and Pride to this day, wear Confederate uniforms. to each and every one of the 38 countries any means. We are fighting to redirect in the History of Queer Liberation”) ☐ Prisoners face wildfires and COVID‑19 By Judy Greenspan contains a licensed hospice, holds a large group of aging has no air conditioning or central ventilation system, and Oakland, Calif. prisoners as well as those with serious and life-threat- prison authorities have closed access to all windows. ening medical conditions. CMF-Vacaville and a nearby COVID levels have spiked at the prison since a July California is burning as the result of countless danger- prison, California State Prison-Solano, are both in the 20 internal raid by authorities on 200 Black prisoners. ous wildfires. People are being forced to evacuate their path of a massive wildfire. In a targeted racist attack, guards homes. But one population is not being allowed to seek Family members and prisoners’ herded inmates together in the din- sanctuary from the path of the fires and the dangerous rights groups are vehemently demand- ing hall, ransacking cells, confiscating ash-filled air: prisoners. ing that the prisoners be evacuated to books and legal papers, and shouting Prisoners are facing the double pandemic of the wild- safety rather than forced to stay inside “Black lives don’t matter!” Past pris- fires and spiking levels of COVID‑19 in the prisons. airless prisons. The LNU Lightning oner organizing at Soledad includes Prison labor has been used to fight wildfires in California Complex Fire spreading rapidly near the actions and writing of George since the 1940s, when the state commandeered them to the Vacaville area gives prisoners there Jackson and other Black revolution- replace workers drafted into World War II. Prisoners are little choice -- either open their small aries. (See Workers World, July 29) usually paid $1 a day for their work on the firelines. slats and breathe in harsh smoke-filled The time has come for Gov. Gavin WW PHOTO: JUDY GREENSPAN Now COVID infections in four out of the six California air or sit in their sweltering cells with- Family and supporters of prisoners Newsom to order the California prisons that train prisoner firefighters have forced out any ventilation. Most prisons in at Aug. 2 demonstration at San Department of Corrections and authorities to hold inmates in quarantine, according to California are not air-conditioned. Quentin protest the spread of COVID Rehabilitation to release large num- a recent New York Times article. (Aug. 22) The fires are also impacting air inside and the refusal by state bers of prisoners who have already Incarcerated people also face mounting health hazards quality in and around prisons in authorities to release large numbers been severely impacted by COVID‑19 inside the prisons. Prisoners told a San Jose Mercury News California’s Central Valley and along of prisoners. and now face further danger from reporter that they are not being given N95 masks to protect the coast. An Aug. 22 demonstration wildfires raging out of control. against the spread of COVID‑19. They expressed concern outside Soledad State Prison was canceled due to concern Since the state authorities have no evacuation plans because guards are entering prisons with ash on their hats that the polluted air would endanger family members and for the endangered incarcerated population, the only and shoulders, adding to air-quality problems. (Aug. 21) other protesters. Prisoners inside Soledad report they are solution is to release them all! ☐ The California Medical Facility at Vacaville, which quarantined in their cells, which are now airless. Soledad

Thousands demand new trial for Imam Jamil Al-Amin By Dianne Mathiowetz forces. over to federal authorities. For the last 13 corroborates other evidence found at the Atlanta This unrelenting state repression led to years, he has been transferred between scene. Brown serving five years in a New York multiple institutions, including seven Pressure is being brought on the Fulton Imam Jamil Al-Amin, now in a U.S. prison, where he converted to Islam, tak- years in solitary confinement at the inhu- County District Attorney's office to reex- prison serving 35 years to life and for- ing the name Jamil Albdullah Al-Amin. mane Supermax facility in amine the violations of merly known as H. Rap Brown, is one of Following his release, he settled in Florence, Colo. Al-Amin’s rights commit- the best-known Black liberation fighters Atlanta, established a mosque in the West His supporters and ted at the original trial, as of the 1960s and 1970s. End of the city, and organized to provide family have been fight- well as the strength of the He served as chair of SNCC (Student safety and security to his community. ing to win a new trial for new evidence, and to order Nonviolent Coordinating Committee), a On March 16, 2000, events had unfolded Al-Amin, based on evi- a new trial for Al-Amin. youth-led organization that bravely and outside Al-Amin’s neighborhood store that dence not allowed into the Tens of thousands have boldly organized grassroots communities authorities strung together into a complex 2002 proceedings. Otis already signed the petition in the rural South to fight for voting rights web of disinformation. After two deputy Jackson, currently in a for a new trial. The DA's and against Jim Crow segregation. sheriffs were shot, one of whom died, there Florida prison, confessed office has been flooded His compelling and dynamic speeches, has been a train of falsehoods, disregarded on videotape, during an with calls and letters. delivered in rhythmic style, inspired peo- evidence, state prosecutorial misconduct unrelated trial, to killing For more information, go ple to join the struggle then sweeping the and all the features of a frame-up. the Fulton County dep- to whathappened2rap. country. Brown was surveilled by federal Al-Amin was convicted on charges uty sheriff in question. Jamil Al-Amin. com or ImamJamilAction agents, received death threats from the related to those events on March 9, 2002, Jackson not only fits the Network.weebly.com. KKK and other white supremacists, and and sentenced to life plus 35 years. Then description of the perpetrator provided Free Imam Jamil and all political was harassed and arrested by local police the state of Georgia secretly turned him by the surviving deputy, his testimony prisoners! ☐ workers.org Aug. 27, 2020 Page 5 Racist, misogynist jail system Deaths of women prisoners in Georgia By Arielle Robinson whose lives mattered and who should not the “crime” of self-defense against a sex- Atlanta die in a cage, especially in a pandemic. Their ual predator. (For more on her case, see deaths are significant because in the U.S. — “Cyntoia Brown — free at last!” Workers Two people incarcerated in the Cobb with the highest prison population in the World, Aug. 14, 2019.) County Adult Detention Center have died world — women are now being policed and Cobb County Jail Complex near Atlanta. within the past two months — both women. sent to jail at disproportionately high rates. Deadly conditions for Georgia prisoners The massive jail is about 20 minutes out- Since 1980, the rate of women being incar- Including the two women, a total of nine jail. In fact, the deaths of the two women side of Atlanta. cerated in the U.S. has increased eightfold. prisoners have died in the Cobb County increase to 43 the number of deaths occur- An imprisoned woman, whose name and (tinyurl.com/y3edmt26) Adult Detention Center within the past ring there since Warren’s ascendence to cause of death have not yet been released, Although more men are in prison, since two years. Others known to have died are sheriff in 2004. died Aug. 6. Another incarcerated woman, 1980 the rate at which women are being Reginald Wilson, Jessie Myles, Bradley Warren has hired a law firm to suppos- Stephanie Nicole White, died June 19 from imprisoned is twice as high as the rate for Emory, William Kocour, Steven Davis, edly look into the deaths, as well as into what the medical examiner’s office said was men. Kevil Wingo and Christopher Hart. claims of racism, medical neglect, excessive coronary artery disease. Black, Brown and Indigenous women According to the medical examiner’s force and other issues regarding jail staff. Twice prior to her death, White had com- face the brunt of the carceral state. Black office, some of these deaths were deter- Activists expect no substantive results from plained of chest pain in addition to oral women were imprisoned in 2017 at twice mined to be “natural,” while in Davis’ case an investigation being done by lawyers pain. Each time she complained of chest the rate for white women. Latinx women the cause is still “undetermined.” Hart was hired by the sheriff in charge of the facility, pain, she was taken to the jail’s infirmary, are imprisoned at 1.3 times the rate of white said to have died when he ruptured his who is implicated in the ongoing abuse. where an EKG test was done, and then women. Indigenous girls between 12 and 17 spleen after “falling in his cell.” His death The brutal racist and misogynist con- sent back to her jail cell. Those tests were years old are incarcerated at more than four was ruled “accidental” by the medical ditions within the center have been made declared “normal.” times the rate for white girls. examiner’s office. more horrific by lockdown conditions On the day she died, White complained In 2017, Georgia was reported to be The jail said Emory committed suicide imposed in late 2019 and intensified during of chest pain, shortness of breath and vom- among the top 15 states in the U.S. for in his cell. Emory’s father said the jail was the COVID‑19 pandemic. (See “Torture iting. When she was taken to the infirmary imprisonment of women, with 70 being aware that his son was suicidal, did nothing exposed in Cobb County Detention Center,” and given an EKG test, which supposedly jailed per 100,000 in the population. to prevent his suicide and delayed inform- Workers World, Dec. 19, 2019.) showed normal results, she was again It cannot be forgotten that often women ing the family of his death The deaths of incarcerated women within returned to her cell. Hours later, White are jailed for defending themselves against A lawyer for Wingo’s family said Wingo Cobb County Detention Center cannot be was found unresponsive and declared dead an abusive male partner and/or sexual traf- had a medical emergency in his cell and ignored. The struggle must continue so that soon after. She was 39 years old. ficker. The case of Cyntoia Brown is terri- that the jail did not tend to him. no more women, and no more people, are The deaths of these two women are sig- bly typical. Brown is an African-American All these deaths have occurred with Cobb jailed and die in these unjust conditions. ☐ nificant, not only because they were people woman jailed in Tennessee for 15 years for County Sheriff Neil Warren in charge of the The psychological impact of solitary confinement

By Bryant Arroyo monotonous prison experiences during impairment — as a result of destructive previously provided us with both five phone confinement." (D. Schultz, “Sensory treatment while in prison. When treatment calls and five free email vouchers was due to The following is a Restriction: Effects on Behavior,” 1965) in prison leads to a person's mental impair- the restriction of the prison population from slightly edited com- As prisoners are subjected to the newly ment, by definition that treatment must be having contact visits, against CDC rules. mentary recorded imposed restrictions of confinement under seen as cruel — truly barbaric! We [prisoners] are being denied mean- for “Voices From COVID‑19, it has become more difficult for The Pennsylvania Department of ingful educational and work programs the Inside” by us to engage in educational programs effec- Corrections (PADOC) administrative impo- under the PADOC's imposed administra- PrisonRadio.org. tively. On Aug. 13, I witnessed a prisoner sition of solitary confinement undoubtedly tive isolation confinement. Bryant Arroyo. packing up his property to be on parole the constitutes a form of cruel and unusual As a result, prisoners are spending a sub- The brain and next day. But the effects of sensory and per- punishment under the Eighth Amendment. stantial amount of time inside their cells/ nervous system, or "the mind," cannot ceptual deprivation this prisoner exhibited The distinction between "segregation" dormitories in absolute idleness. Such function normally without stimulation. remained with him even after his release. and "solitary" is often no more than mere unbroken inactivity increases boredom, Neither can it function normally when It will be extremely difficult to adjust to semantics. tension and frustration, which in turn pro- given too much stimulus. The brain and the "new-norm" because our emotional and The detrimental effects of isolation motes incidents of violence. The evidence the nervous system must be maintained in mental mechanisms are [being] adjusted and idleness are just as apparent in both. reflects that idleness of this magnitude a "steady state." A healthy mind is a prod- to deprivation circumstances. [Then] there Isolation as a treatment is punitive, destroys the human element, internally uct of interaction between itself and other [will be] little tolerance for the myriad of destructive, defeats the purpose of any kind escalating suicides, a host of medical prob- organisms. sensory input in normal environments. of rehabilitation efforts and harkens back lems, and hurts people, [in turn] hurting Along with reported intellectual impair- The prisoner's anxiety becomes so great to medieval times. There is no justification people. ment, perceptual deprivation [results in] that he/she will seek a means to return to for such treatment unless your purpose is In conclusion, I'll depart with this final psychotic-like hallucinations and effective prison with its decreased input and routine to dehumanize and destroy my mind. thought by [philosopher] James Allen: changes in extreme behavior — including experiences. Prisoners are entitled — as a constitu- "They themselves are makers of themselves extreme boredom, restlessness, irritability, In the psychological sphere, cruel treat- tional right — to fresh air, outdoor exercise, by virtue of the thoughts which they choose anger, unrealistic fears, anxieties, depres- ment and its results are not so [obviously] recreation and educational programs while and encourage: that the mind is the master sion, physical complaints and "devel- flagrant because mental destruction is in solitary confinement. Now, PADOC weaver, both of the inner garment of char- opment of a childish sense of humor, less apparent than physical destruction. Secretary John Wetzel has minimized the acter and the outer garment of circum- exaggerated emotional reactions, and Damage to the mind is not as visible as a five weekly phone calls to once a week and stances and that, as they may have hitherto excessive irritation by small things." withered hand. five free email vouchers to zero a week. woven ignorance and pain, they may know Prisoners become "dulled from But the reality is the same: Human The underlying reason Sec. Wetzel to weave enlightenment.” ☐ Stop the execution of Lezmond Mitchell! By Ted Kelly cultural, traditional and religious beliefs Indian Appropriations Act, specifically Today Native that life is sacred." legalized and institutionalized the execu- and Indigenous The U.S. government has scheduled the Since the 1994 amendment of the Major tion of Indigenous people by the federal people in the U.S. federal execution of 38-year-old Lezmond Crimes Act, federal law prohibits the death government. In 1865 President Abraham are 14 times more Mitchell of the Navajo Nation on Aug. 26, penalty for any crimes committed on tribal Lincoln ordered the largest mass execu- likely to be killed despite widespread condemnation. land unless tribal authorities specifically tion in U.S. history when he authorized by police than their white counterparts. The Navajo Nation has formally pro- request it. The flagrant violation of tribal the hanging of 38 Dakota (Santee Sioux) They are incarcerated at a rate 38% higher tested the execution on grounds of tribal sovereignty by the U.S. in scheduling men in Minnesota. This brutality stands than the national average. A Center for sovereignty. Family members of Navajo Mitchell’s execution comes just months in sharp historical contrast to the U.S. Disease Control report issued this August citizens who Mitchell was convicted of after a Supreme Court ruling that roughly government’s subsequent lenient treat- found that Native people – at high health killing have demanded a stay. Even the half the state of Oklahoma is sovereign ment of enslavers, Confederate counter- risk from poverty and inadequate medi- prosecutor who argued for Mitchell's con- Muscogee (Cree) territory, a decision that revolutionaries and Klan members during cal care – contract COVID‑19 at triple the viction opposes the federal death penalty. could potentially affect thousands of incar- the post-Civil War Reconstruction period. rate of white people. Even in the capitalist press, the decision cerated Indigenous people. A new chapter of Indigenous resistance Since the recent lifting of a 17-year to go forward with the execution has The legal shell game that the U.S. gov- was written a century later. In 1968, the moratorium on the federal death pen- drawn criticism. ernment plays is nothing new. It has been American Indian Movement was formed alty, 10 people have been executed by the Navajo Nation President Jonathan the policy from the beginning of coloni- by incarcerated Indigenous leaders who U.S. government. Five others, along with Nez and Vice President Myron Lizer have zation for imperialist authorities in North became organizers in Stillwater Prison Mitchell, are scheduled to be legally mur- called on the U.S. government to halt the America to lie and shred virtually every outside Minneapolis, Minn. They regarded dered over the next four months. execution: "The Navajo Nation and the treaty signed with Indigenous people. the imprisonment of Indigenous people as Stop the execution of Lezmond family of the victims have not changed The Major Crimes Act, originally a significant plank in the broader colonial Mitchell! Free them all! ☐ their position. We strongly hold to our passed by Congress in 1885 as part of the policy of relocation and genocide. Page 6 Aug. 27, 2020 workers.org Black NBA executive abused by white police officer By Monica Moorehead Mercury News, Aug. 23) respectful engagement. And, there’s only The Raptors organization issued a one indisputable reason why that is the The Toronto Raptors won their first statement saying, “We believe this video case—because​ I am Black. National Basketball Association champi- evidence shows exactly that—​Masai “What saddens me most about this onship in Oakland, Calif., in June 2019, was not an aggressor, but instead was ordeal is that the only reason why I am get- when they defeated the Golden State the recipient of two very violent, unwar- ting the justice I deserve in this moment Warriors in a best of seven-game series, ranted actions.” (CNN) is because of my success. Because I’m the four games to two. When the Raptors’ The Alameda County Sheriff’s President of an NBA team, I had access president of operations, Masai Ujiri, Department is defending Strickland’s to resources that ensured I could demand attempted to make his way onto the win- actions, despite the damning evidence and fight for my justice. So many of my ners’ platform to join in the awards cer- against him. brothers and sisters haven’t had, don’t emony with his victorious team, he was Ujiri issued a statement Aug. 20 linking have, and won’t have the same access to viciously pushed back by an Alameda Masai Ujiri what happened to him to the Black Lives resources that assured my justice. And County Sheriff’s Department police offi- Matter struggle. He remarked: “The video that’s why Black Lives Matter. cer—not​ once but twice. to celebrate. sadly demonstrates how horribly I was “And that’s why it’s important for all What makes this unfortunate incident This February, the officer brought a treated by a law enforcement officer last of us to keep demanding justice. Justice so significant is that Ujiri is Nigerian lawsuit against Ujiri claiming that he year in the midst of my team, the Toronto for George [Floyd]. Justice for Breonna and the officer who assaulted him, Alan “suffered, and will continue to suffer, Raptors, winning its first world champi- [Taylor]. Justice for [Elijah McCain]. Strickland, is white. The fact that the physical, mental, emotional, and eco- onship. It was an exhilarating moment of Justice for far too many Black lives that 50-year-old Ujiri was head of a multibil- nomic injuries.” (CNN, Aug. 21) Ujiri achievement for our organization, for our mattered. And justice for Black people lion-dollar team and was dressed impec- filed a counter lawsuit Aug. 18 accusing players, for our city, for our country, and around the world, who need our voice and cably did not matter to the police—​in Strickland of perpetrating a fraud, as the for me personally, given my long-tenured our compassion to save their lives. Those their eyes, he was still a Black person to recently released police body cam shows professional journey in the NBA. are the ties that bind us.” be demonized. Strickland initially physically confront- “Yet, unfortunately, I was reminded in A number of Raptors players, like Strickland pushed him the first time ing Ujiri, not the other way around. The that moment that despite all of my hard Serge Ibaka, Fred VanVleet and Norman when Ujiri tried to display his creden- Warriors’ president of operations, Rick work and success, there are some peo- Powell, along with NBA coaches Doc tials. Ujiri, in a display of righteous Welts, made a public apology to Ujiri for ple, including those who are supposed Rivers and Rick Carlisle have come to indignation, pushed the officer back and the incident, stating how “embarrassed” to protect us, who will always and only Ujiri’s defense. ☐ was eventually allowed to join his team and “heartbroken” he was. (San Jose see me as something that is unworthy of Planned Parenthood’s Margaret Sanger problem By Sue Davis Its prime target was Margaret Sanger, who single-handedly started the fight for Planned Parenthood of Greater New “birth control”—​a term she coined in York issued a strong statement July 21 1916 when she founded her first women’s that condemned Margaret Sanger’s rela- health clinic in Brooklyn. Sanger and her tionship with eugenics theory and prac- staff were arrested during a raid on the tice. “By saying this, we disarm a tool clinic nine days after it opened. anti-abortion opponents use to shame Charged with providing information women of color, especially Black women, on contraception and fitting women for from seeking the full spectrum of sexual diaphragms, Sanger and her sister spent and reproductive health care.” 30 days in jail for breaking the law. Later The PPGNY statement noted that its appealing her conviction, she scored a vic- move to acknowledge Sanger’s role in the tory for the birth control movement. Her eugenics movement was not just related clinics grew nationally and her health care to the national upsurge in the Black Lives organization became Planned Parenthood Matter movement. “It was prompted and in 1942. Sanger has since been hailed as led by Black women who have been wary a reproductive rights forerunner and of Planned Parenthood’s origins.” (New pioneer. York Times, July 21) The Catholic church, which opposes Foremost among Black reproductive birth control, fought Sanger for promot- justice leaders is Loretta Ross, one of ing it and for supporting eugenics, the Rally in front of U.S. Supreme Court, May 21, 2019. the Black women who coined the term racist theory that some people are inher- “Reproductive Justice” in 1994. The term ently superior to others. Rooted in racism, predominantly in the South promoted those who seek abortions and promote was much needed because “reproduc- classism and ableism, eugenics followers sterilization for an estimated 70,000 hundreds of legal hurdles to prevent tive rights” didn’t reflect people of col- deemed “selective breeding” was needed poor, mostly Black women though the women and gender-oppressed people from ors’ intersectional needs to access all the to improve the genetic “quality” of the mid-1970s. At the same time over 30% of having access to constitutional, essential rights and resources that would enable population. women in Puerto Rico became sterilized, reproductive health care—​a human right. them to both terminate pregnancies when The concept was not new. Plato sug- which they were encouraged to do so they The right wing continues to misuse the they choose and raise healthy children gested it around 400 B.C. The Nazis put could more easily work outside the home. issue of racism to undermine reproductive when they choose. the U.S. racist theory into practice. Today documents in California and other justice. Dr. Rachel R. Hardeman, assistant Two years ago Ross wrote a prescient New York University historian Linda states show that women prisoners, pre- professor of Health Policy and Management article addressing Planned Parenthood: Gordon, author of “Woman’s Body, dominantly Black and Brown, have been at the University of Minnesota, whose “Perhaps none of the challenges fac- Woman’s Right” (1976), told TIME July sterilized, often without their permission. specialty is racism and maternal health, ing Planned Parenthood [after Cecile 21: “In the 1920s eugenics was almost demolished Ross Douthat’s reactionary Richards steps down as president] is as universally considered good science, Reproductive justice is a human right July 31 column, “Systemic racism: Planned urgent as the racial and class divisions accepted by people on the Left and on the Historical background on Margaret Parenthood as a prime example,” in the that shape how American women seek Right—​including some Black leaders—​ Sanger puts both Catholic and Evangelical New York Times. reproductive health care. Race and class and taught in most biology textbooks.” religious right-wing attacks on Planned Hardeman writes: “Historic myths about are inextricable in America, and both She added, “[I]t is a mistake to put Parenthood into perspective. These Black women’s health—​steeped in rac- interfere with access to and use of repro- [Sanger] in the same category as defend- anti-abortion groups have sanctimo- ism—​continue to haunt us, but the right ductive health services. … ers of slavery and segregation.” niously charged the organization with to safe, legal abortion is not one of them. “In this dangerous political moment, Eugenics theory has been used to jus- being racist for “promoting” abortion for Overall, Douthat conflates the unequal Planned Parenthood also requires an tify racist and ableist forced sterilization. Black women. Arch-reactionaries Sen. impact of public policy on Black commu- expert on white supremacy, someone In 1927 the Supreme Court ruled 8 to 1 in Ted Cruz and Supreme Court Justice nities with the fundamental right of Black who can use an intersectional analysis Buck v. Bell that the state of Virginia could Clarence Thomas have railed against the women to control our own bodies. His posi- to respond to [Trump’s] anti-democratic permit compulsory sterilization of any- organization’s alleged racism. tion reflects the ideals of a white, patriar- movement.” (HuffPost, Jan. 30, 2018) one deemed developmentally disabled “to But isn’t it the height of hypocrisy that chal society that is pushed onto minority protect the health of the state.” This pol- these biased, reactionary groups and groups that are too often set up to struggle Exposing right-wing hypocrisy and lies icy was used to justify sterilization of poor, political figures have done nothing sub- in a society built by and for white people. Anti-abortion forces, led by “Right uneducated, mostly women of color, people stantive to advance the lives of women or “What Black women want and deserve to Life” groups initiated by the Catholic with disabilities and immigrants. A 1937 children of color? When have they sup- is access to the best medical care avail- Church, swung into action only days after Fortune magazine poll found that two- ported government services that subsi- able, including the full range of reproduc- the U.S. Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade thirds of the population supported forced dize food, housing, childcare and health tive health options so we can determine decision legalized the right to abortion in sterilization for the intellectually disabled. care for low-income families? our own destiny. Our bodies are our own, 1973. Racist state legislatures and courts All they do is disparage and stigmatize and we won’t apologize for it.” ☐ workers.org Aug. 27, 2020 Page 7 Opening North Carolina universities threatens COVID‑19 explosion

By calvin deutschbein campus, which unfairly punishes the vast Chapel Hill, N.C. majority of their classmates who are fol- lowing the rules.” Aug. 22—​The UNC System of state His dishonesty was insufficient to hide colleges and universities is the largest a COVID‑19 explosion. The public finally employer in the only state in the South learned that in Chapel Hill, 25 UNC stu- where Walmart isn’t. It operates six des- dents had to go to the ER for COVID ignated minority-serving institutions symptoms on Aug. 14. That was before (MSIs)—five​ Historically Black Colleges the first clusters on campus had been and Universities (HBCUs) and UNC reported. Pembroke, which serves the Indigenous Different conditions at UNC, and to a Lumbee people. lesser degree NCSU, may have made out- The UNC System directly employs breaks both more obvious and quicker to around 45,000 staff and many more emerge. These outbreaks, however, con- contractors, teaching 240,000 stu- firm the assessments of workers, students dents. Its total economic impact is many and public health efforts that reopening times greater. Workers in the system are is unsafe. organized by the radical UE150 North #ShutDownECU tracked the manufactured outbreaks at UNC, NCSU and ECU. As the UNC System attempts to main- Carolina Public Service Workers, and the tain in-person instruction in the face of the system schools have strong traditions of impossibility of doing so, consequences organizing, frequently grounded in the in-person instruction effective Aug. 21. as distant an afterthought as safety in the will grow. In wealthy, mostly white regions Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. The #ShutDownECU campaign by stu- efforts by wealthy white political appoin- like Chapel Hill, even an overburdened ER Despite guidance from the health depart- dents and the #SafeJobsSaveLives cam- tees to reopen campuses. may be equipped to respond. ment not to do so, and despite worker and paign by UE150 are collaborating to shut At UNC classes were suspended only Other UNC system schools, especially student resistance, on Aug. 10 three of the down ECU as well before it is too late. after national media attention was HBCUs and UNC Pembroke, respectively, largest schools in the system opened for When N.C. Central University opens for brought to the University, after admin- serve primarily Black and Indigenous stu- in-person instruction. These schools—​ in-person instruction Aug. 24, all schools istrators tried but failed to suppress dents in their communities. City-based UNC at Chapel Hill, North Carolina State in the system will have opened for in-per- news reports of clusters forming on cam- schools, such as UNC Greensboro and in Raleigh and Eastern Carolina University son instruction except UNC Charlotte. pus, which indicated a total failure of UNC Charlotte are valuable resources (ECU) in Greenville—​each have about Fayetteville State (an HBCU) and UNC their supposed program for control of for their cities and their state but lack the 30,000 students. Pembroke opened Aug. 5, and thus far COVID‑19. colocated UNC Health facilities, which In-person gatherings are inadvisable in have not experienced outbreak condi- But even as their failures made national sit within large population centers and any event during the pandemic. Here the tions, although they all have active cases. news, the UNC System doubled down. include a medical school. near-total failure to address the risks of These campuses have smaller enroll- System President Peter Hans stated on Large public universities like COVID‑19 beyond “hygiene theatre” and ments, some 6,000 to 8,000 students. Aug. 17: “The decision to adapt opera- Appalachian State and ECU dominate empty words set campuses up for failure These failures must be by the design tions applies to UNC-Chapel Hill only, their comparatively small metropolitan from day one. of administrators. Reopening plans from because no other UNC System institution areas. An outbreak there, which in-per- By the end of the first work week, each the beginning denied campus workers has reported information, at this time, son opening threatens, could quickly of these three campuses had counted hazard pay and adequate personal pro- that would lead to similar modifications.” overwhelm local resources. And a short more than 100 positive cases for students. tective equipment, made no provision (northcarolina.edu, Aug. 21 press release) glance at racial disparities in health out- This overwhelmed UNC and NCSU’s for sufficient testing for workers and Reporting is the critical factor there—​ comes reveals exactly that oppressed quarantine capacity, which they had students, and were based on unclear within 24 hours, student reporters at communities of color will be primarily claimed would last a semester. Multiple and inconsistent guidance on in-person NCSU confirmed the existence of previ- affected. clusters were reported daily. versus remote instruction. In the UNC ously unreported clusters on their cam- While it will take some time to gain a UNC and NCSU shut down System, education, if considered at all, is pus. Students organized a sick-out, and clear view of the conditions on other cam- the campus moved to shut down at the puses, workers and students are continu- week’s end. Three days after his previous ing to organize to fight for themselves and statement, Hans lied again: “[Reopening] their communities. And the closure of two is being undermined by a very small num- major universities is just a glimpse of the Portlanders push back ber of students behaving irresponsibly off struggle to come. ☐ cops and fascists Continued from page 1 Front.” (tinyurl.com/y462yhv4) Philadelphia The Aug. 22 fascist rally, occurring alt-right, fascist street brawlers. A regu- during a tense summer when BLM pro- lar fixture in downtown Portland during tests have grabbed headlines around the the summer months over the past sev- world, showed yet again that PPB has a eral years, these fascist goons – many of clear bias towards fascist protesters and whom come from out of state – make it a their sympathizers. point to hold violent rallies in what they PPB refused to declare a riot – though view as a leftist-dominated city. On Aug. they often do so with BLM protesters 22, fascist groups held a “No to Marxism -- despite far-right protesters brandish- in America Rally” in the same area of ing guns, spraying chemical irritants on downtown where the largest Black Lives anti-fascist counterprotesters and physi- Matter rallies have occurred. cally assaulting them. Witnesses reported The PPB has been shown to have a cozy that immediately after fascist protesters relationship with fascists. Media reported left, PPB declared the scene an unlawful last year on leaked text messages showing assembly and began making arrests of that Jeff Niiya, PPB’s commanding officer counterprotesters. for the rapid response team that patrols Over the past three months, protest in WW PHOTO: JOE PIETTE protests, had a warm relationship with Portland has faced rapid changes. From Joey Gibson, leader of the Vancouver, the deployment of federal officers to the Rally demands unemployment pay Wash., far-right group Patriot Prayer that presence of fascist street brawlers, there is regularly organizes protests in Portland. much concern in the city from those who Dozens of unemployed workers International Alliance of Theatrical Stage The Williamette Week revealed: “The oppose fascism and racist police brutality. and their supporters held a rally in Employees and members of Workers texts also show that Niiya at times told Yet crowds have continued to come out Philadelphia Aug. 20 to demand extension World Party. Marchers led a mock funeral Gibson where leftist protests were tak- night after night, responding to new situ- of the federal Pandemic Unemployment procession for the expired benefits down ing place, including unrelated protests as ations and adjusting their tactics accord- Compensation, which expired July 31. Broad Street and around City Hall, accom- well as anti-fascist marches with people ingly. Whatever comes next in the city, it’s a The protest was called by the Philadelphia panied by a union bagpiper and chants of in black bloc intent on protesting Patriot given that there will be people confronting Unemployment Project and was orga- “Money for health and education, not for Prayer. At least once, Niiya told Gibson injustice and repression in myriad ways. nized by members of UNITE HERE, billionaire corporations!” that Portland police were not monitoring The struggle started in this long sum- Philadelphia Musicians Union Local 77, a protest hosted by the Queer Liberation mer has only just begun. ☐ — Report by Ted Kelly Page 8 Aug. 27, 2020 workers.org A 75th anniversary salute to Vietnam’s August Revolution

By Comrade Tano (A much more fitting name, if I do say so myself.) For nearly 20 more years the brave We live in tumultuous times, and it is Vietnamese, under the leadership of the during times like this that we as socialists National Liberation Front, fought against must look to the struggles and successes the most powerful military force in the of our predecessors to give us inspiration world, and by 1975, declared victory as the to continue our struggle. As a Vietnamese- last of the U.S. imperialists were driven out. American, I take heart in remembering Why is this important, besides celebrat- the struggles of my people in their fight ing such an important day in the history for independence from colonial and impe- of our Vietnamese comrades? The answer rialist powers. August 19 is a special day, is simple: we struggle every day here “in for it marks the 75th anniversary of the the belly of the beast,” as Che Guevara put Vietnamese August Revolution! it, fighting for the freedom of the work- On this day in 1945, under the leader- ing class at the very imperial core. Times ship of Ho Chi Minh and the Viet Minh are tough now, but when we look at our (aka League for the Independence of past as socialists and see the example the Vietnam), my people organized uprisings Vietnamese people—my people—set for and demonstrations throughout Vietnam, us, we should take heart. Our struggle with the Viet Minh eventually seizing the continues, just as theirs did against the Viet Minh troops enter Hanoi, 1945. city of Hanoi. French and U.S. imperialists. Comrade Ho then declared independence And just like my people, we will win! for the newly formed Democratic Republic causing the Vietnamese people to launch However, the test for the newly indepen- of Vietnam on Sept. 2, 1945. However, the the French Resistance War. dent socialist nation had only just begun, Comrade Tano is a non-binary, gen- French colonizers were not going to just For almost ten long, bloody years, my because as soon as the French left, U.S. derfluid person of Vietnamese descent. allow their imperial holdings to remain people fought against the invaders, until imperialists took their place. They choose to write under this name to free without a fight; in the early months of eventually the Viet Minh struck the final Thus began what is often called the protect themselves, while still support- 1946, they arrived back in the country with blow against the French at the Battle of Vietnam War, a conflict we Vietnamese ing and celebrating their history as a full military force to re-establish control, Dien Bien Phu in 1954, ending the war. call “the War of American Aggression.” Vietnamese socialist. Long live the memory of Ka Randy! By Communist Party of the Philippines specifically on the matter of land reform. He gave his expertise in the NDFP efforts Workers World is reprinting the fol- to prepare its draft Comprehensive lowing statement from the Communist Agreement on Socio-Economic Reforms Party of the Philippines that condemns (CASER) which outlines the measures the murder of Randall Echanis on necessary to address the key issues at the Aug. 10. Since the 2016 presidential elec- core of the civil war in the Philippines, tion in the Philippines, Rodrigo Duterte with land reform and national industrial- has carried out numerous assassina- ization as the centerpiece programs. tions of peace activists and progressive Among the Red fighters during his organizers. Duterte's “War on Drugs” is younger years, Ka Randy was known by responsible for at least 27,000 extrajudi- his nom de guerre as Ka Makar, which cial killings since 2016. he said was not only a tribute to Macario Sakay, erstwhile Filipino revolutionary The Communist Party of the Philippines who continually fought with arms against (CPP) condemns in the strongest terms the the American colonial forces in the early cold-blooded murder of Randall Echanis, part of the 20th century, but was also an Chairperson of the Anakpawis party-list acronym for “Maso” [sledge hammer] and and peace consultant of the National Randall Echanis “Karit” [sickle]. Indeed, as a revolutionary Democratic Front of the Philippines fighter, Ka Randall always firmly held the (NDFP). Ka Randy, 72, was killed early Malayao. They must not relent in their the Aquino and Arroyo regimes. He later hammer on the one hand, and the sickle this morning (Aug. 10) by armed men in demand for justice for the thousands of continued to work for the national dem- on the other, worked to build the work- his rented home in Novaliches, Quezon others who have been killed, imprisoned, ocratic cause by advancing the cause of er-peasant alliance, and upheld the cause City. tortured and terrorized in the course of land reform in all possible fields of demo- of the proletariat to his last breath. Echanis’ murder is undoubtedly the the fascist regime’s fake drug war, bloody cratic struggle. He became known as one The Party and the entire revolutionary handiwork of the Duterte fascist regime, counterinsurgency, war against the Moros of the pillars of the Kilusang Magbubukid movement will forever uphold the mem- ordered by its cabal of criminal terrorists and all-out drive of political repression ng Pilipinas, as well as the Anakpawis ory of Ka Randall Echanis. Uphold his in the National Task Force and carried out and state terrorism. party-list. example of selfless and untiring service by Duterte’s death squads in the military Because of his advocacy for the cause to the toiling masses and people. and police. Duterte himself has publicly A hero of the Filipino people of the peasantry and the toiling people, Justice for Ka Randall Echanis! Long ordered his military and police forces to On behalf of all revolutionary forces, the National Democratic Front of the live the memory of Ka Randy! hunt down consultants of the NDFP after the Communist Party of the Philippines Philippines asked him to serve as one End the tryanny and terrorism of the he terminated peace negotiations in 2017. extends its deepest sympathies to of its consultants in peace negotiations, Duterte fascist regime! ☐ The extrajudicial killing of Echanis is Echanis’ wife, children and family, friends a vicious attack against the democratic and comrades in the national democratic forces who continue to stand firm even in movement. Having devoted most of his the face of the all-out attacks of the tyran- life to the cause of national and social Abolish the police nical regime against the people and their liberation, Ka Randy is, indeed, a hero of civil and political rights. It was carried out the Filipino people. He was a stalwart of Continued from page 1 Black Lives Matter protests erupted in by state forces in the most treacherous of the cause of the workers and peasants and every corner of the U.S., sparked by a manners in the vain hope of terrorizing was a unifying force among the different Department of Corrections building was cop’s deliberate 8-minute, 46-second the people and cowing them into sub- classes and sectors. set on fire. People spray-painted a telling execution of an African American man, mission. It forms part of the continuing The CPP pays tribute to Ka Randy as slogan on the building of Manufacturers George Floyd. This inexorable mass pres- scheme of the Duterte regime to consoli- an ageless revolutionary fighter. He was and Commerce, which lobbies for big sure imposed rapid change. date its fascist reign through murder and among the thousands of young activ- business: “You have stolen more than we The call to “Disarm, defund and abolish other acts of state terrorism. ists who joined the revolutionary mass could ever ‘loot.’” the police!” is now penetrating the DNA The regime has stepped up its attacks movement in the late 1960s and fought It was the voice of the people’s righ- of the mass movement. It’s a demand they in its desperation to quell the seething courageously against the U.S.-Marcos dic- teous rage at unending racist murder and absorb wisely, as part of the need for the unrest amid the deepening socioeconomic tatorship. When martial law was declared incarceration, cop brutality, economic larger structural changes that are becom- and public health crisis and rising discon- in 1972, he joined the armed struggle and “legal” injustice. ing ever more necessary for the very sur- tent in both the cities and countryside. and was among the pioneers of the New This voice will only grow stronger as vival of working and oppressed people. All democratic forces must unite and People’s Army (NPA) during its period people confront the pandemic health cri- As part of an evolving path toward condemn the murder of Ka Randy. They of expansion and growth in the northern sis, exploding evictions, a jobless abyss socialist revolution, Workers World Party must demand that Duterte himself be Luzon regions. and hunger. It can’t be stifled by the polit- continues to add our voice and energy to made to pay for the Echanis murder as He was captured, tortured and incar- ical programs of either existing capitalist the demand: “Defend the people! Arrest well as for the murders of fellow peace cerated under the Marcos dictatorship. party in this so-called “democracy.” the cops! Disarm, defund and abolish the consultants Julius Giron and Randy He was again arrested and detained under A few months ago, massive and historic police!” ☐ workers.org Aug. 27, 2020 Page 9

Speakers included Lee Siu Hin, of the China U.S. Solidarity Network and National Immigrant Solidarity Network, who discussed China’s highly successful actions to combat the disease. Dr. Rosemari Mealy, of the N.Y.-Jersey Cuba Sí Coalition, and a board member of IFCO/Pastors for Peace, raised the socialist island’s effective measures to control the virus. William Camacaro, representing the Bolivarian Circle Venezuela Solidarity, explained the impact of COVID‑19 on the country and the government’s response. And Dr. Ngô Thanh Nhàn, of the Viêt Solidarity and Action Network and Vietnam Agent Orange Relief and Responsibility Campaign, told of that country’s public health campaign to treat and control the virus. Under 30 lives have been lost there from the illness. As of Aug. 24, the U.S. has led the world with the high- est rate of infections and highest death count because the health—​and very lives—​of workers, especially oppressed people, are secondary to profits being made for the ruling class. More than 178,000 people have died. By calvin deutschbein entitled “COVID can be defeated: Cuba, China, Venezuela Tens of millions of workers have lost their jobs, with an and Vietnam lead the way.” This event brought together untold number of renters facing evictions. As the COVID‑19 pandemic continues to rage uncon- organizer and solidarity activist perspectives from these Meanwhile, the wealth of U.S. billionaires has grown trollably in the U.S., it must be understood that it doesn't countries, which are leading the way globally in combat- to an astounding $637 billion during the pandemic! The have to be this way. Many countries around the world, ing the virus. cruelty of capitalism is on full display during this major especially those building socialism, have been able to In those countries, governmental policies have health crisis. effectively combat the pandemic, using the tools of a involved and empowered the workers to prevent the planned economy and robust national health care sys- novel coronavirus from reaching the pandemic condi- The webinar can be viewed in its entirety at tems to prioritize the health of their populations. tions which are occurring in the U.S., and throughout workers.org/videos/ On Aug. 20, Workers World Party held a webinar much of the rest of the capitalist world.

Cuba: a global leader in the fight against COVID‑19 By Rosemari Mealy In every community there is a family doctor who lives These therapies are being used around the world to treat over the polyclinic and among staff in the community. patients and have been particularly effective helping older This is a slightly edited talk So, you have a tertiary health system which was created and more at-risk patient populations. I think the most given at a Workers World Party and sustained throughout its revolutionary history. encouraging breakthrough occurred over the past few days webinar on Aug. 20 on “COVID Cuba has a relatively high number of medical workers when Cuba announced: “The central state enterprise man- can be defeated: Cuba, China, per capita. Officials say there are currently about 90,000 agement group BioCubaFarma reports having received Venezuela and Vietnam lead the in the country of almost 11.5 million people. Decades, permission to begin clinical trials of a Cuban candidate way.” View the entire webinar years, months and weeks before COVID19 ever arrived vaccine Identified as FINLAY-FR-1 to prevent COVID‑19, at workers.org/videos/. on the island—​because of how the health system is capable of producing a strong immune reaction to a SARS- Rosemari Mealy structured—the​ government and the entire health care COV-2 infection.” (Granma, Aug. 20) I would like to thank Workers system, including scientists, knew where every person Cuba was one of the most prepared countries in the World for the opportunity to participate in this webi- lived, who was at risk, what vaccines and medications world for COVID‑19. In many countries fighting the nar. COVID‑19 can be defeated by recognizing the heroic they had, by going door to door in every neighbor- pandemic Cuba is also making major international con- people of Cuba, China, Venezuela and Vietnam who are hood, making home visits with a nurse and sometimes tributions with the Henry Reeve International Medical all facing in some form or another sanctions, blockades Promotora de Salud (community health workers). Brigade. and or strategies to sabotage every aspect of their social- Having six decades of experience like no other coun- If I may close by saying this internationalism has ist governments’ economic, social and cultural policies. try or health system, they had the skills, the technol- been exemplified right here at home through the IFCO The U.S embargo or blockade of Cuba has now entered ogy, scientific advances and human capital to deal (Interreligious Foundation for Community Organization) its sixth decade of unsuccessful attempts to wreak havoc with combatting outbreaks and epidemics. Cuba had partnership with the Latin American School of Medicine on that nation. We cannot talk about how Cuba has been the experience of first developing and using interfer- (ELAM) scholarship program since 1999. ELAM has able to defeat COVID without first acknowledging that ons to arrest a deadly outbreak of the dengue virus in trained over 35,000 doctors from 138 countries, includ- for 60 years Cuba has faced the longest trade embargo 1981. That experience catalyzed the development of the ing graduating 195 U.S.-trained doctors. in history. island’s now world-leading biotech industry. The proto- In a post-embargo world, U.S. hospitals and research First imposed in 1960 under the Eisenhower admin- col Interferon—only​ one tool of many that Cuba has—​ institutions would have direct access to Cuba’s drugs, istration with the prohibition of export of all products played a crucial role in some of those previous outbreaks therapies and doctors to potentially improve the stan- except for foods, medicines and medical supplies, the and epidemics, often saving seriously ill patients’ lives. dard of care for millions of citizens of the USA in the U.S. embargo of Cuba is in essence a relic of the Cold Since the appearance of the first cases of COVID‑19 on defeat of COVID‑19. War initiated by the capitalist West to undermine social- March 11, Cuba has reported 3,408 cases. As of today, ist developments in the Soviet Union, China and, by Aug. 20, 2,794 people have recovered out of a population What you can do! 1960, Cuba. of 11.5 million, 526 people remain ill and there have been Contact elected officials to demand that they focus Notwithstanding the ending of the Cold War with the 88 deaths. There have been no fatalities since Aug. 4. on the Cuban drug known as Interferon Alfa 2B, which collapse of the former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics Compare this to the state of Georgia, which has a has been produced in China since 2003 by the Cuban- in 1991, Congress in the years since has continued to population of 10.5 million people. Some 22,664 people Chinese joint venture ChangHeber. Demand that pass—​and presidents have signed into law—​legisla- have been hospitalized since February, and there have the drug be allowed in the U.S. as a protocol to treat tion strengthening the embargo. The Helms-Burton Act been 4,840 deaths. The current active number of cases is COVID‑19. is unquestionably the most draconian as well as the most 239,133, compared to Cuba’s 526 patients who are still ill. Endorse the Save Our Lives Campaign which, among controversial of the laws; the embargo cannot be ended Recovery rate in Georgia is 2%. The recovery rate in Cuba other demands, is calling for incorporating Cuba’s without congressional concurrence through legislation. is 82%. Georgia has 455 times more people who still have Interferon Alfa 2B Recombinant in clinical trials in Cuba is not isolated internationally and has survived the virus. the U.S., Canada and the World Health Organization and is supported by an overwhelming majority of the (WHO), and the granting by the U.S. Food and Drug countries in the world. Socialist gov’t and an informed people Administration of approval for Cuba’s Interferon Alfa Despite the blockade during the global pandemic, In Cuba, the strength of combatting COVID is reflected 2B Recombinant. Cuba has shown the way in confronting COVID‑19. First in the will of the socialist government, its scientists, Call on elected officials to demand the repeal of Helms- and foremost, most of the trajectory of this pandemic, medical personnel and informed people. There is contact Burton or to temporarily suspend the Cuban embargo, like all pandemics, is based on the overall condition tracing and people are coming together to coordinate the which would enable Cuba to obtain the humanitarian and organization of the society. Cuba is a socialist soci- sewing of masks and distribution of food to the elderly aid and medical supplies that it needs to respond to the ety where, from the very beginning of the triumph of and physically challenged. Recently, when there was a coronavirus pandemic. the revolution, health care, education, housing and the spike of cases in the provinces of Havana and Artemisa, Contact and organize local city councils to pass reso- protection of workers were built into the new Socialist the country reinstated the curfew. lutions that support these initiatives while calling for an Constitution. Cuba is leading the way to defeat COVID, not in a self- end to the blockade. ish way or in its own self-interest. First and foremost, Consider joining the next IFCO Pastors for Peace ‘Health care is a human right’ in Cuba the country is a recognized world leader in the develop- Caravan to Cuba. Health is considered a human right. The country’s ment of antiviral drugs and therapies for cancer, dia- health care system is one of the world’s greatest contri- betes complications, and most recently for COVID‑19. Dr. Rosemari Mealy is with the New York-New butions because it operates both horizontally and verti- More than 45 countries have requested the country’s Jersey Cuba Sí Coalition and on the Board of IFCO/ cally. By that I mean the delivery of health is integrated. Interferon Alpha 2B protocol. Pastors for Peace. Page 10 Aug. 27, 2020 workers.org

editorial Not being Trump is not enough Once every four years, the two major COVID‑19 crisis. But the prospect of auto industry. The Obama/Biden admin- and small, supporting Black Lives Matter capitalist parties in the United States “Medicare for All” was dropped from the istration’s $80 billion bailout of that and calls for defunding the police can no get unlimited prime-time media, with DNC program. During the pandemic, industry in 2009 resulted in massive lay- longer be considered “far left.” Numerous much hoopla, to promote their candi- more than 40 million people in the U.S. offs and significant concessions from auto state and local governments have cut dates for U.S. president and vice presi- have lost their jobs and health insurance workers’ unions, including their right to police department funds; some are even dent. The four-day Democratic National at the same time. Yet Biden failed to offer strike. And the DNC leadership dropped looking to abolish them. But Biden does Convention that ended Aug. 20 offered a plan to address the health care crisis. He a call to end fossil fuel subsidies and tax not support defunding the police—​he far less than usual, which cannot just be has even said that as president he would breaks from the party’s program. calls for more money for police reforms blamed on COVID‑19. veto a Medicare for All bill, should one Biden’s website makes no mention of already proven ineffective. Other than officially nominating their reach his desk. his foreign policy views. The DNC’s inter- During an Aug. 23 interview with ABC’s candidates—Joe​ Biden for president and Thousands of people die each year national policy platform comes at the David Muir, Biden even criticized Trump Kamala Harris for vice president—​the in the U.S. because they cannot afford end of its 91-page document—​perhaps for suggesting “a bill to cut one-half bil- DNC offered no substantial promises and health care. The disproportionate death because both capitalist parties differ little lion dollars out of local police support.” proposed no significant programmatic toll in communities of color during the when it comes to defending U.S. imperi- This should come as no surprise, consid- changes. The overwhelming message pandemic is a direct result. While polls alism’s global domination. ering that in 1994 then-Senator Joe Biden was “Vote for Joe Biden because he is not show overwhelming voter support for After Palestinian-American activist (in cooperation with the president of the Donald Trump.” Medicare for All, the DNC leaders appear Linda Sarsour, a supporter of the Boycott, National Association of Police Officers) Even their primary slogan, “Build Back to be more concerned about protecting Divestment and Sanctions movement, drafted the controversial legislation for Better,” sounds eerily similar to Trump’s the profits of Big Pharma and the health offered advice at the convention on how Clinton’s crime bill, seen by many as the 2016 slogan “Make America Great Again.” insurance companies. the DNC could engage Muslim voters, trigger for mass incarceration. With a lot of promises but few specifics, The DNC platform supports raising the the Biden campaign publicly disavowed Trump is horrible. But at this historic the platform totally ignores the crisis of a federal minimum wage to $15 per hour—​ her. The DNC platform does not criticize time, when workers and oppressed are global capitalist system which was unrav- by 2026. If the minimum wage had kept Israel’s occupation of Palestine. It sup- challenging the economic chaos, systemic eling even before the coronavirus pan- up with inflation, it would now be closer ports Israel’s claim to Jerusalem as its racism and police brutality that are the demic struck. to $20 per hour. capital. pillars of the capitalist system, not being Biden calls for more testing and man- One specific item on Biden’s website Following months of massive protests Trump is simply not enough. Keep it in datory mask wearing to address the calls for another federal bailout of the against police brutality in U.S. cities, large the streets! ☐ Mass protests force out leaders in Mali By G. Dunkel Mahmoud Dicko, and the anti-capi- talist Party for African Solidarity and After months of agitation and pro- Independence, headed by Oumar Mariko. tests—​some going on for days, involv- One banner in the big Aug. 11 protest read ing thousands of people and substantial “IBK and his party work for the French.” injuries—​the Malian Army arrested Sign slogans read: “France is a terrorist President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta (IBK), state,” “Stop the genocide of France in Mali” Prime Minister Boubou Cissé and the and “This regime is Mali’s coronavirus.” entire cabinet Aug. 18. In a press release, Mariko points out that The June 5 Movement—​Rally of IBK has to get permission from France or Patriotic Forces, known as M5-RFP, which rebel groups to go to certain areas of Mali. had been a main force leading the protests, This relationship says the government welcomed the army’s move. Thousands does not have control of the country and is of people cheered as the army moved the not secure, as was reported by the Belgian arrested politicians through Bamako, as bimonthly magazine Solidaire on July 30. shown on video by France 24. When the Malian army deployed in the The international community as Bamako, Mali. northern town of Kidal near the Libyan a whole condemned the army and border, it had to be accompanied by U.N. demanded Keïta’s reinstatement. The militias. The U.N., which has a “peace- in Niger, which borders Mali to the east forces. (Associated Press, Feb. 13) Economic Community of West African keeping” force MINUSMA of 14,000 sol- and supplies operational intelligence to States (ECOWAS) suspended Mali’s diers in northern and eastern Mali, also the French and U.N. forces. French troops intervene membership, prohibited financial trans- condemned the army’s arrests. In neighboring countries—​such as After the defeat of Libyan leader, actions between its members and Mali, Senegal, Guinea, Niger and Burkina Moammar Gaddafi, and his murder by and closed all its borders with the country. U.S drones in the Sahel Faso—​there is a palpable sense that the U.S.-backed forces in 2011, soldiers in his France condemned the army’s arrests Not to be left out, J. Peter Pham, U.S. eruption in Mali could be contagious. This army, with their heavy weapons, moved and demanded Keïta’s reinstatement. The State Department special envoy for the is visible in comments on Internet sites of south the following year into the Sahel, former colonial overlord in Mali currently Sahel region tweeted, “The US is opposed residents of those countries. For exam- mainly into Mali and its neighbor Niger. has 5,100 troops stationed in the country, to all unconstitutional changes of govern- ple, El Hadji Diouf, a lawyer and political In 2013 when the separatist movement mainly in its central and southern regions. ment whether in the streets or by security leader in Senegal, warned its President made significant progress in northern They are fighting against several jihadist forces.” The U.S. has a major drone base Macky Sall against excusing the “coup Mali and the central government was on makers in Mali.” (tinyurl.com/y3hwbnl5) the verge of collapse, the French army The countries in or near the western intervened rapidly and decisively. Sahel region—​including Mauritania, This 2013 intervention is well described Senegal, Guinea, Niger, Burkina Faso in “The Bad-Ass Librarians of Timbuktu,” No walls for billionaires and Chad—​face the same problems that written by Joshua Hammer. Hammer also exist in Mali. Skilled workers like teach- well describes the essential role that U.S. By Deirdre Griswold a supposed charity called “We Build the ers and nurses have not been paid for special forces played. Wall.” The money they pocketed came from months. Youth can’t get jobs or an educa- Mali is a strategically important coun- Stephen K. Bannon may be in big trou- donations to build Donald Trump’s wall tion. People lack medical care, especially try for world imperialism, as it is in the ble. Or maybe not. Pals of the very rich against migrants on the southern border. necessary in this time of plague. Armed center of West Africa, bordering seven rarely pay for their crimes. It is generally It’s more than ironic that Bannon was jihadist groups are confronting govern- other countries, and is rich in resources. the poor who are held in jail—​which can arrested while enjoying life on the 150- ments’ armed forces, while there are Uranium mined and produced in Niger be a death sentence in this COVID‑19 foot yacht of a fugitive Chinese billionaire, imperialist interventions. Tensions exist and Mali provides one-third of France’s pandemic. Guo Wengui. There are no walls to keep between ethnic groups. To a greater or electricity. Mali also has oil and major And who is Bannon? A key player in billionaires out of this country—​only lesser degree, all of Mali’s neighbors are gold deposits and other minerals. ultraright Breitbart media who became poor people. afflicted by these issues. Almost all the African migrants seeking a the mastermind of Trump’s 2016 election Guo, of course, is no impoverished The population of Mali is very young. job or a decent economic future in Europe campaign, which got the real-estate mag- immigrant. He owns a 9,000-square-foot Half of its inhabitants are under 16 years now come through the Sahel. European nate into the presidency. After leaving his apartment facing Central Park in New York old. This situation makes the need for Union officials fear that if the governments post as Trump’s “Chief Strategist,” Bannon City. Guo is wanted in People’s China on a education and jobs critical. It also means in the Sahel fall apart, it would cause a has been connecting neofascist European bunch of corruption charges, but is hailed those who are employed have many steady flow of refugees which could become parties with neo-Nazi groups in the U.S. here as a “refugee” from communism. dependents. a flood EU leaders would find destabilizing. On Aug. 20, Bannon and several alleged Bannon’s arrest may be a sign that The June 5 Movement is a broad coa- This is a crisis created by years of imperial- co-conspirators were arrested for fraud Trump isn’t expected to win the next elec- lition composed of both politically ori- ist underdevelopment and exploitation of and charged with siphoning money from tion. But don’t hold your breath. ☐ ented Muslim groups, headed by Imam Africa. ☐ workers.org Aug. 27, 2020 Page 11 How China won the COVID‑19 fight and what this means for the world By Lee Siu Hin 李小轩 city of 11 million people. It was the largest or working themselves to death at the lockdown in history. Two days later, the frontline. This Aug. 15, the city of Wuhan in entire Hubei province, affecting a total of China—the first city to report a COVID‑19 45 million people, was closed for the next Logistical support Lee Siu Hin outbreak early this year—after 76 days three months in an effort to completely Logistical support was very critical in of lockdown to fully contain the virus stop the spread of the virus. winning the virus war. In early January, to the hospital for treatment. Others with that had started in early April, kicked off The “lockdown” meant that every resi- at the beginning of the outbreak, China exposure were ordered to self-quarantine something unimaginable for the rest of dent had to completely stay indoors 24/7 quickly ran out of personal protective for 21 days. the world: a Beer Festival and a Water for the next three months. equipment (PPE). Wuhan’s daily PPE In order to successfully mobilize quick Festival. There were tens of thousands needs included 60,000 protective suits, citywide testing, the Chinese government of visitors, beer drinking, music perfor- Staffing and volunteers 125,000 medical masks, and 25,000 med- had to utilize every possible resource, mance and yes—a pool party! Lockdown was just the beginning. The ical goggles. By comparison, China nor- recruiting thousands of health care work- Many Western net citizens saw this Chinese government poured massive mally produces only 30,000 protective ers and support staff into the campaign. with disbelief and jealous rage, but amounts of resources, medical equipment, suits per day. The city promoted the drive via fliers, some argued that the U.S. and Europe tens of thousands of medical staff, volun- With the belief in “united we win,” social media posts and loudspeaker needed to reflect teers, military and con- China quickly mobilized national announcements. Every resident had to be on it. “Westerners struction workers into efforts—including state enterprises tested and traced by mobile apps. would rather believe When the Wuhan and Hubei to across the country—to ramp up existing In addition, Chinese authorities released some completely support the “people’s PPE production and build new PPE pro- timely data in an open, transparent and unfounded conspir- coronavirus struck virus fight.” duction lines. In weeks, by mid-February, responsible manner so the people had acy theory than admit China, the whole Within a few hours the PPE crisis in China was over. Every dynamic, clear and important information China did something of the lockdown, a total medical staff person was fully protected to fully understand the government’s poli- right,” net citizen luigi country went into of 42,000 volunteer with the so-called “moon suit,” without cies, strategies and measures. Making sure concluded on Twitter. medics from across the the need to reuse. the public is fully informed is the key to How did China battle mode and country began arriving In addition, in order to boost the testing establishing strong social consensus. succeed in fighting to support Wuhan and capacity, the Chinese government quickly China’s success was not luck COVID‑19 in such a united with one Hubei, with 35,000 mobilized, coordinated and stocked pub- short time? Seven key arriving between late lic and private testing facilities with test China’s success was not luck. The reasons: efficiency, thing in mind. January and April kits. One good example is BGI, a Chinese Chinese have a strong sense of social science, coordination, in the capital city of genetics and screening company. Within a responsibility for collective action, and commitment, people's war, cooperation Wuhan, the epicenter of the early outbreak. few days it built the Huo-Yan Laboratory, people trust in the government and follow and effective leadership. In addition, in 10 days, 12,000 work- a fully functioning COVID‑19 testing cen- its instructions. They believe that “United When the coronavirus struck China, ers came to build two special makeshift ter in Wuhan capable of testing tens of We’ll Win.” People felt proud to actively the whole country went into battle mode infection hospitals, Huoshenshan and thousands of people. participate in the nationwide people’s war and united with one thing in mind: to Leishenshan, that now would be able to against COVID‑19. defeat COVID‑19. After its success, China treat thousands of COVID‑19 patients. Helping the world Other countries that took similar steps, did not hesitate to help other countries. The Chinese military, better known COVID‑19 is a global health crisis. In mostly socialist countries like Cuba, The specific components to China's as the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), order to truly win the pandemic fight, the Vietnam and Laos, also quickly recovered success are: sent 340 military medical teams with world should unite and work together. from the crisis. ● Strict quarantine thousands of military medics as well as Having enough PPE supplies domes- In July, according to “CoronaShock and ● Mass testing logistics teams across Wuhan and Hubei tically, China started to donate and com- Socialism,” by Tricontinental: Institute ● Building makeshift hospitals to province. Many were young military mercially export medical equipment and for Social Research, socialist govern- isolate everyone with symptoms or medic students in their early twenties. PPE to save lives around the world. ments worldwide—like Cuba, Venezuela, who had contact with the patients Furthermore, throughout the lock- From March 1 to April 30, China Vietnam, and Kerala, India—were better ● Unwavering, top-down, nation- down in Wuhan, another 580,000 com- released 71.2 billion yuan ($10.2 billion able to deal with the virus, because they ally coordinated logistical support munity volunteers were mobilized to help U.S. dollars) worth of epidemic preven- employed strategies like China’s and had from the government the residents. Since no one could go out tion supplies for export. That included “a science-based approach.” They had a ● Government and personal shopping, the neighborhood councils 27.8 million face masks, 130 million pro- public sector that they could rely upon accountability and responsibilities organized volunteers who became the tection suits, 73.1 million COVID‑19 test for the production of the materials they ● International coordination community “fixers” for everyone’s tedious kits, as well as 12.57 million infrared ther- needed to combat the virus, and they cul- and open exchange, especially tasks; they helped elders, organized gro- mometers, 49,100 ventilators, 124,000 tivated public action “in order to substan- working with the World Health cery shipments, and drove around daily to patient monitors, 43.63 million goggles tially break the chain of infection.” Organization deliver medicine to families. and 854 million pairs of surgical gloves. Conclusion ● Trust in science and experts Most volunteers and medics were under In addition, China helped build Huo-Yan ● Health apps to trace everyone 30 years old—the so-called ’90s genera- laboratories around the world in Serbia, In conclusion, China’s virus fight has ● Quickly developing and adopting tion. Many said they wanted to show that Saudi Arabia, Brunei, Iraq, United Arab been clearly much better and more success- new IT technologies to fight the they were grown-up, responsible people. Emirates and more places. ful than in the U.S. and Western countries. virus and rebuild the economy They actively signed up for tasks on the Ipsos, a global market research firm, ● National efforts to rapidly develop frontline. Most of them liked going on Wuhan ends lockdown issued an Aug. 17 consumer confidence medical technology to fight the these military-like missions, and chose By April 8, Wuhan ended the lockdown report based on interviewing people from virus, including gene sequence to stay away from home and their fami- that had begun on Jan. 23. By April 15, in 24 countries. China ranked the highest analysis, drug and vaccine devel- lies for weeks, even months. People called a short 76 days, China had won the virus in consumer confidence due to its post- opment, innovative clinical them “retrogressers,” heroes who choose fight. Wuhan’s makeshift Huoshenshan COVID rapid recovery, receiving 72.9 treatments and the adoption of to rush into a disaster zone and save peo- Hospital was decommissioned after points. The U.S. received the lowest con- traditional Chinese medicine ple’s lives. 73 days of operation. The hospital had fidence due to its failure in combating the (TCM) In China, it’s always the custom that gov- admitted 3,059 patients suffering from virus and its high unemployment rate, ● Wearing masks from the ernment officials and Communist Party of COVID‑19; 2,961 of them had been suc- receiving only 48.3 points. beginning China (CPC) members are the first to be cessfully treated and discharged. “Reality has proven that China's meth- mobilized onto the front line. Throughout The last volunteer medics left on April Lee Siu Hin is a long-time Chinese- ods and systems work,” stated Chen the lockdown in Wuhan and Hubei prov- 26 with tens of thousands of residents American activist with low-paid immi- Jianguo, president of Tongji Medical ince, young CPC members were actively saluting their departure. grant workers, currently working on College in Wuhan. involved on the medical frontline. Half of a community health project. Lee is China continues the fight When the virus first appeared in Wuhan the hospital staff, frontline workers, port national coordinator of the National in late December 2019, no one knew workers, custom officials and volunteers To prevent a second Wuhan outbreak, Immigrant Solidarity Network exactly what was happening. Within two from around the country were party mem- China decided to test the entire popu- (ImmigrantSolidarity.org), Action LA to three weeks it quickly spread across bers under the age of 30. lation. By May, in less than two weeks, Network (ActionLA.org) and China-US the city like wildfire, catching everyone China understands that an import- China had tested almost every one of its 11 Bi-National Activist Solidarity Network off-guard, but the government immedi- ant part of winning the fight against the million residents to check if any missing (chinadelegation.org). Lee’s book ately took bold actions by announcing a virus involves public servants behaving clusters with COVID‑19 remained. “Capitalism on a Ventilator — Impact national emergency, ordering a total lock- responsibly and accountably and earning From mid-June to early July, Beijing of COVID‑19 in China vs. U.S.” will be down of the city, and sending tens of thou- trust from the people. By April 13, 29.77 had a small COVID‑19 outbreak. The co-published with the International sands of medics to fight a “people's war” million party members and officials were city quickly mobilized within a few hours Action Center in August. For more infor- against the virus. The epic battle paid off. working on the frontline across the coun- and locked down dozens of communities mation, email [email protected] In less than three months, China com- try. Out of that number, 2,337 got infected near the virus’s ground zero. Within two and twitter @siuhin. He'll be traveling pletely contained the virus. by the virus and 396 sacrificed their lives. weeks, the city had completed 11 million back to China on Aug. 24 for his activism On Jan. 23, China quickly and deci- Most of the deaths were not from the virus tests, finding 74,000 residents who had and medical work. sively ordered the lockdown of Wuhan, a but from being killed in car accidents exposure to the virus. Some 300 were sent Correspondencia sobre artículos en Workers World/Mundo Obrero pueden ser enviadas a: [email protected]

¡Proletarios y oprimidos de todos los paises unios! workers.org Vol. 62 Núm. 35 27 de agosto 2020 $1 En Washington, D.C., el 15 de agosto en la casa del Director General de Correos Louis DeJoy para denunciar sus órdenes de recortar los servicios ¡Detengan el ataque postales y coludirse con la supresión de votantes. de Trump a la oficina de correos! Por Joe Piette de incidentes en los que el correo no sale durante días o no sale en absoluto. El Si 150 millones de personas votan por presidente de la Unión Estadounidense correo en noviembre, no abrumaría al de Trabajadores Postales, Mark Servicio Postal de los Estados Unidos, que Dimondstein, dijo al informativo, The procesa diariamente más de 472 millones Atlantic, que los cambios eran “desmo- de correos. Pero los funcionarios postales, ralizantes” para sus miembros: “Están en aparente coordinación con los esfuerzos ordenando a los trabajadores que dejen del presidente Donald Trump para supri- el correo para otro día. Eso va en contra mir los derechos de voto, han promulgado de nuestro ADN ”. En cuanto a la supuesta acciones que retrasan la entrega del correo. justificación de la reducción de costos de Este es un intento desnudo de reele- DeJoy, Dimondstein enfatizó: “No se le gir ilegítimamente a esta administración llama la Empresa Postal de los Estados abiertamente racista, misógina, anti-labo- Unidos. ¡Se llama Servicio Postal de los rista y de derecha. Si su plan tiene éxito en Estados Unidos!” (14 de agosto) privatizar el Servicio Postal de propiedad La administración Trump también ins- pública de 245 años, los ricos ideólogos taló caballos de Troya en la Agencia de Los trabajadores postales han estado luchando para defender sus derechos y el servicio pro-Trump, que se oponen a proporcio- Protección Ambiental y los departamen- público del USPS durante décadas. Aquí, miembros del Sindicato Estadounidense de Trabajadores Postales se manifiestan en su convención en Pittsburgh, el 21 de agosto de 2018. nar servicios públicos donde se pueden tos de Educación, Vivienda y Desarrollo obtener ganancias privadas, tendrían otra Urbano de EE.UU. y otras agencias fede- Eso no es ningún secreto. Creemos que esta de gobernadores nominada por el presi- razón para celebrar. rales. Todos ellos se enfocan en brindar es una táctica de supresión de votantes”. dente y confirmada por el Senado, con un La red del servicio de más de 31.000 ofi- oportunidades de lucro a las corporacio- (Washington Post, 14 de agosto) director general de correos elegido por esa cinas de correos emplea a más de 600.000 nes en lugar de promover el bien común. Los derechos de voto se han restrin- junta. La mayoría de los miembros actua- trabajadores postales. El cuarenta por gido severamente por motivos de raza, les de la junta son nombrados por Trump, ciento son mujeres y casi el 40% son per- Retrasar el correo, suprimir el voto género y clase desde las primeras eleccio- que eligieron a DeJoy, violando las inten- sonas de color. Entregan correo a todas las Los clientes han presentado miles de nes presidenciales de Estados Unidos en ciones anti-patrocinio de la PRA. direcciones del país seis días a la semana. quejas a funcionarios postales, líderes 1788, cuando solo se permitía votar a los El nuevo Director General de Correos, políticos y la prensa. Los medicamentos, hombres blancos con propiedades. El sis- ¡Las corporaciones fueron rescatadas! Louis DeJoy, un aliado de Trump, ha los cheques, las facturas, los pedidos en tema bipartidista limita la posibilidad de ¡El servicio postal se agotó! impuesto reglas de trabajo que eliminan línea y otros correos se retrasan, a veces un cambio real mediante elecciones. Para El USPS normalmente es autosufi- las horas extras y evitan que los traba- durante días y semanas, a medida que el manipular aún más el sistema, las dos ciente, financiando operaciones con sus jadores se aseguren de que todo el correo correo se acumula en grandes acumula- grandes empresas han utilizado histórica- propios ingresos sin usar dinero de los sea procesado y llevado a los buzones por ciones en las instalaciones postales. mente la supresión de votos. La privación contribuyentes. El Congreso aprobó una los carteros, evitando que el correo se La posibilidad de que las boletas por sistémica del derecho al voto abunda, con ley en 2006 que requiere que el Servicio entregue a tiempo. A medida que la pan- correo se retrasen ha ganado titulares de tácticas que incluyen las leyes de identifi- Postal financie los beneficios de salud de demia ha reducido el volumen de correo, los medios, ya que el presidente número cación de votantes y la manipulación de los jubilados durante 75 años en el futuro. más de 600 máqui- 45 constantemente los derechos de los votantes, rediseñando Esa onerosa carga anual de $5.5 mil millo- nas clasificadoras de tuitea afirmaciones los distritos electorales para disminuir nes no se impone a ninguna otra agencia correo están siendo La red del servicio falsas de que tales particularmente el peso de las personas de gubernamental o corporación privada. suspendidas o inc- boletas son más pro- color, las comunidades de bajos ingresos Con estos costos innecesarios, com- luso destruidas, lo de más de 31.000 pensas al fraude. Esta y de inmigrantes. binados con los efectos financieros de la que provoca más ret- mentira socava la oficinas de correos pandemia, el USPS puede quedarse sin rasos. Esto ignora la confianza del público Historia de la corrupción política fondos dentro de un año. Así que la Junta probabilidad de que emplea a más de en la capacidad del El equipo de etiqueta de Trump y DeJoy de Gobernadores de Correos solicitó $75 el volumen de correo USPS para entregar no son los primeros en politizar el Servicio mil millones en asistencia financiera de aumente si mejora la 600.000 trabajadores boletas en blanco a Postal. El presidente Andrew Jackson, emergencia, comparable a las enormes economía o la situ- los votantes y luego postales. El cuarenta admirado por Trump, estableció un “sis- sumas que el Congreso dio a las grandes ación de la pandemia. devolverlas a las tema de despojo” después de su elección corporaciones en el proyecto de ley de DeJoy, o “DeLay” por ciento son autoridades electora- en 1828, mediante el cual el partido que estímulo de la primavera. como lo llaman les de manera segura ganó la Casa Blanca obtuvo el derecho La Cámara de Representantes aprobó muchos trabajadores mujeres y casi el y rápida. de otorgar decenas de miles de empleos un plan de rescate postal de $25 mil postales, ha donado Todos los estados 40% son personas postales a sus partidarios, asegurando así millones en mayo como parte de la Ley millones de dóla- han utilizado con su lealtad. El director general de correos, HEROES, pero el Senado no actuó al res a las causas de de color. Entregan seguridad la votación inevitablemente un compinche político respecto antes de suspender la sesión para Trump y del Partido por correo, algunos y un preparador ansioso por cumplir las las vacaciones de verano. El 13 de agosto, Republicano. Posee correo a todas las durante décadas. Es órdenes del presidente, se convirtió en un Trump declaró descaradamente que se más de $30 millo- una práctica uni- direcciones del país miembro del gabinete que supervisó este opone a la financiación propuesta por nes en acciones de versal en Colorado, inmenso plan de patrocinio. USPS porque quiere dificultar la expan- XPO Logistics, una seis días a la semana. Hawaii, Oregon, Jackson buscó notoriamente expandir el sión de la votación por correo. empresa contra- Utah y Washington. saqueo capitalista para obtener ganancias Los trabajadores postales y sus parti- tista que procesa Se espera que un a través de la apropiación de tierras indí- darios han organizado peticiones y cam- correo para USPS, ¡un claro conflicto de número récord de personas voten por genas, a menudo para expandir la esclavi- pañas de llamadas a funcionarios del intereses! correo este año debido a la pandemia. tud de personas de ascendencia africana. Congreso y del USPS para exigir la apro- Como dijo este escritor en este perió- La eliminación de las cajas de recolec- Exilió por la fuerza a miles de indígenas bación del plan de rescate del Servicio dico el 25 de mayo, otro aspecto proble- ción postal de las esquinas de las calles de en el Camino de las Lágrimas, una acción Postal, la derogación del requisito de pre- mático es el “terrible historial laboral de Estados Unidos sin el aviso requerido de genocida en la década de 1830. En 1835, financiación de 75 años y el despido de DeJoy, plagado de acoso sexual, discrimi- 30 días, especialmente en vecindarios de Jackson colaboró con su director general DeJoy por retrasar el envío. Es solo cues- nación, aceleración, lesiones en el lugar de bajos ingresos y comunidades de color, de correos para suprimir el correo contra tión de tiempo hasta que se lleven a cabo trabajo, uso excesivo de temporales, cla- refuerza la sospecha de que Trump y sus la esclavitud de los abolicionistas del Norte. más acciones militantes contra la repre- sificación errónea de trabajadores como partidarios están tratando de suprimir el El corrupto sistema de mecenazgo sólo sión de votantes y trabajadores. (Consulte contratistas independientes y bajas por voto por correo. terminó con la gran huelga postal de 1970, Facebook Save Our Postal Service). enfermedad inadecuadas durante la actual Celina Stewart, de la Liga de Mujeres tras la cual el Congreso aprobó la Ley de pandemia.” (tinyurl.com/y5dfu755) Votantes no partidista, comentó: “La des- Reorganización Postal. Creó un híbrido Piette es un cartero jubilado y miembro Los trabajadores postales con poco per- aceleración es otra herramienta en la caja de gobierno-empresa dirigido por una junta de la Asociación Nacional de Carteros. sonal y con exceso de trabajo informan herramientas de la supresión de votantes.