• CONTRADICCIÓN DE SANDERS 12

Workers and oppressed peoples of the world unite! workers.org Vol. 58, No. 14 April 14, 2016 $1 WW PHOTO: CHERYL LABASH At Chicago airport, April 1. Chicago strike! 25,000 unite in march vs austerity

By Jill White Chicago

A one-day strike, initiated April 1 by the 30,000-mem- ber Chicago Teachers Union and Fight for $15, was joined by over 50 organizations, including Black Lives Matter, and thousands of angry students, parents and residents. The target was Gov. Bruce Rauner, who is holding the Illinois state budget hostage in an attempt to destroy all the unions in this state. The budget’s victims are children, students, govern­ ment and education workers, and social service recipi­ ents like the disabled and elderly. State university budgets have been cut by 30 percent; all Illinois college students and even private universities have lost state financial aid. The strikers connected the financial troubles of the Chicago Public Schools with the broader impact of the statewide budget impasse on low-income families, particularly with regard to higher education. Through- out the day, marchers criticized racism and the police ­murders of youth of color. Strike actions began at 6:30 a.m. at every Chicago public school. The CTU helped build coalitions in many March against proposed state budget, April 1. communities to raise related local issues. The youth support group ”Project NIA” [in Swahili, “nia” means “with purpose’] led a march from the Illi- 10 nois Youth (Detention) Center on the Near West Side to Suder Elementary School. Protesters chanted, “We are We salute the gonna give you hell! Our city is not yours to sell!” and called for an end to the school-to-prison pipeline. Chi- Chicago Teachers Strike! cago spends about $112,000 a year per youth in prison but only $15,000 per student. Union says strike is legal CPS officials filed a charge with the Illinois Educa- tional Labor Relations Board against the CTU, claiming • WE WON’T GO BACK the strike was illegal. “We disagree,” said CTU spokes- woman Stephanie Gadlin. “The Supreme Court 60 years Fight anti-LGBT*Q laws 3 ago authorized unfair labor practice strikes under the National Labor Relations Action and we believe teach- ers have those rights.” (ctunet.com) When CPS cancelled school a week early so it could • FEDERAL WORKERS furlough workers and save money, the officials showed they didn’t care about parents’ childcare needs or chil- Under attack 5 dren’s education. Gov. Rauner is lobbying for a state takeover of CPS and the option to declare bankruptcy. Teachers rallied at Northeastern Illinois State Uni- • HOUSING IS A RIGHT 6-7 versity against cuts and in solidarity with Chicago State University, which is scheduled to be shuttered after an early graduation in April. All workers at CSU have al- ready been issued layoff notices and asked to turn in • IRAQ their keys. Chicago State serves predominantly Afri- can-American students. 8 After a rousing action on campus resembling a New New U.S. war provocations Continued on page 5 Subscribe to Workers World • FRANCE 4 weeks trial $4 1 year subscription $30 ‘Work more, earn less!’ 9 Sign me up for the WWP Supporter Program: workers.org/articles/donate/supporters_/ Name ______• ACT UP Email______Phone ______Stages global protest 11 Street______City / State / Zip______Workers World 212.627.2994 147 W. 24th St., 2nd Fl, NY, NY 10011 workers.org Page 2 April 14, 2016 workers.org Virginia Tech White supremacist protested

By Workers World Staff pearance at Virginia Tech, student organizations, the Coalition For Justice and others, including numerous  In the U.S. During the week of March 20, faculty from a rainbow of disciplines, joined together to Chicago strike! ...... 1 hundreds of faculty, students, staff resist Murray. and community members held “We reject Murray’s work. We op- Virginia Tech: White supremacist protested ...... 2 a variety of protests at Virginia pose the racist, sexist, classist bias in Mississippi poised to enact anti-LGBT*Q law ...... 3 Tech University in Blackburg, Va., Murray’s writings. His hateful rhet- No charges filed against cops who murdered Jamar Clark 3 against white supremacist author oric and scholarship has been widely Alabama community fights environmental racism . . . .3 Charles Murray. critiqued and dismantled,” reads a Boston Women’s Fightback Network celebrates IWD . . .4 Murray, author of “Losing flyer distributed by Still Concerned: On the Picket Line ...... 4 Ground” and co-author with Richard Hernstein A VT Faculty Initiative. of “The Bell Curve,” among other books and ar- Protest events included a March Bus drivers bring victory story to Chicago ...... 5 ticles, was given space to speak March 25 by the 23 Teach-In Against Hate that drew Federal workers under attack ...... 5 Virginia Tech administration as part of BB&T over 200 people, counterlectures New York State budget – no big deal for workers . . . . .5 bank’s “Capitalism and Freedom” lecture series. and a protest at the site when Mur- Capitalism = homelessness ...... 6 BB&T Corp. sponsors similar series and depart- ray spoke March 25. On March 21 Newark children exposed to lead ...... 6 ments currently at over 60 universities, and the information about the Murray pro- Baltimore tribunal says decent housing a human right! . .7 bank is known for distributing free pro-capital- tests was shared at “Hip Hop for ist literature such as Ayn Rand books, writing curricu- Justice” with Black Workers for Justice members near Brooklyn, N.Y.: ‘Affordable for WHO?’ ...... 7 lum and more. Virginia Tech. Wall Street protest led to organizing anti-war soldiers . .10 According to a report entitled “The Feeding Trough” On March 25, at The Inn at Virginia Tech, the site African-American political power and the elections . . .11 issued by A Job Is A Right Campaign, the Milwau- where Murray spoke for $10,000, a diverse, multina-  kee-based Bradley Foundation, the largest right-wing tional, multigendered crowd of all ages participated in a Around the world foundation in the United States, supported the writing of strong “Protest Against Human Inferiority.” Anti-racist Japan’s prime minister defies anti-war public ...... 8 the notoriously racist book, “The Bell Curve,” to the tune banners, signs and chants began an hour before Mur- U.S. plans new escalation of Iraq war ...... 8 of $1 million. The book was co-funded by the Pioneer ray’s arrival. Just before Murray’s speech, the crowd Sham ‘unity’ in Libya creates divisions ...... 8 Society, a holdover from the white-supremacist eugenics of protesters moved inside the building and set up a Palestine: Thousands protest on 40th Land Day . . . . . 9 movement of the 1920s and 30s. two-sided, picket-line gauntlet which all those attending 1.2 million workers, students reject new labor law . . . .9 The book argued that poverty is the result of the exis- Murray’s speech had to walk through. Dozens honored tence of a permanent class of genetically inferior people the “Boycott (Racist) Charles Murray” call by the Coali- NATO intervenes in refugee crisis ...... 9 — who just happen to be disproportionately people of Af- tion for Justice and Still Concerned by refusing to go to Global ACT UP protests hit Big Pharma ...... 11 rican descent. The book ignored the legacy of slavery, the the speech and joining the picket line.  WWP Presidential Campaign impact of economic conditions, personal dislocations or The protests against Charles Murray are part of a WWP salutes Chicago teachers strike ...... 10 racial, sexual, gender or other discrimination. series of anti-racist, pro-worker actions in central and southwest Virginia in recent weeks. Since Kionte Spen-  Noticias en Español We reject Murray! cer, an 18-year-old African-American student, was Dos caras de la campaña Sanders ...... 12 Murray’s work is an integral part of Wall Street’s right- killed by Roanoke County cops Feb. 26, a variety of pro- wing foundation network that has as its goal to eviscer- tests and support activities have taken place. ate all legal, social and other barriers to making profits On Feb. 29 at Radford University in Radford, hun- by capitalists. This includes promoting deregulation and dreds came out to disrupt and protest Donald Trump. privatization, busting unions, promoting funding for On March 21, hundreds took part in a “Rally Against the Pentagon instead of funding for cities such as Flint, Racism” in Lexington to protest the distribution of Mich., and advocating the destruction of social safety KKK material there in early March. And on March 26 in Workers World nets such as Aid to Families with Dependent Children. Martinsville, a “United We Stand, United We March: A 147 W. 24th St., 2nd Fl. Immediately upon learning of Murray’s scheduled ap- March of Equality, A Rally Against Hate” took place. New York, N.Y. 10011 Phone: 212.627.2994 E-mail: [email protected] Web: www.workers.org Vol. 58, No. 14 • April 14, 2016 Closing date: April 5, 2016 Editor: Deirdre Griswold Who we are & what we’re fighting for Managing Editors: John Catalinotto, LeiLani Dowell, Kris Hamel, Monica Moorehead; Web Editor Gary Wilson ­degrading people because of their nationality, sexual or Hate capitalism? Workers World Party fights for a Production & Design Editors: Coordinator Lal Roohk; ­socialist society — where the wealth is socially owned gender identity or disabilities — all are tools the ruling Andy Katz, Cheryl LaBash and production is planned to satisfy human need. This class uses to keep us apart. They ruthlessly super-ex- outmoded capitalist system is dragging down workers’ ploit some in order to better exploit us all. WWP builds Copyediting and Proofreading: Sue Davis, Keith Fine, Bob McCubbin living standards while throwing millions out of their unity among all workers while supporting the right jobs. If you’re young, you know they’re stealing your of self-determination. Fighting oppression is a work- Contributing Editors: Abayomi Azikiwe, future. And capitalism is threatening the entire planet ing-class issue, which is confirmed by the many labor Greg Butterfield, G. Dunkel, K. Durkin, Fred Goldstein, with its unplanned, profit-driven stranglehold over the struggles led today by people of color, immigrants and Martha Grevatt, Teresa Gutierrez, Larry Hales, means of production. women. Berta Joubert-Ceci, Terri Kay, Cheryl LaBash, Milt Neidenberg, John Parker, Bryan G. Pfeifer, Workers built it all — it belongs to society, not to a WWP has a long history of militant opposition to im- Betsey Piette, Minnie Bruce Pratt, Gloria Rubac handful of billionaires! But we need a revolution to perialist wars. The billionaire rulers are bent on turning make that change. That’s why for 57 years WWP has back the clock to the bad old days before socialist revolu- Mundo Obero: Redactora Berta Joubert-Ceci; been building a revolutionary party of the working tions and national liberation struggles liberated territory Ramiro Fúnez, Teresa Gutierrez, Donna Lazarus, class inside the belly of the beast. from their grip. We’ve been in the streets to oppose every Carlos Vargas We fight every kind of oppression. Racism, sexism, one of imperialism’s wars and aggressions. Supporter Program: Coordinator Sue Davis Copyright © 2016 Workers World. Verbatim copying Contact a Workers World Party branch near you: workers.org/wwp and distribution of articles is permitted in any medium without royalty provided this notice is preserved. 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Mississippi poised to enact anti-LGBT*Q law By Kris Hamel nation would be legal if the existence of “Protect individuals whose sincerely 23. HB 2, which requires trans* people to lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans* and queer held beliefs include that ‘sexual relations use a restroom in line with their “biolog- April 4 — On the evening of Wednes- people was perceived to violate religious are properly reserved’ to a marriage be- ical sex” instead of their own gender, also day, March 30, the Mississippi Senate beliefs that marriage is only between a tween a man and a woman, raising ques- lets trans* people be legally denied public voted to pass the so-called “Protecting man and a woman and that gender is de- tions about whether single mothers could accommodations based on their actual Freedom of Conscience From Govern- termined at birth. be targeted.” or perceived gender. (See “Protests erupt ment Discrimination Act” or “the Reli- The Clarion Ledger in Jackson, Miss., over bigoted law: Black and trans* peo- gious Liberty Bill.” The state House on further laid out the provisions of the Bigotry laws can be fought, defeated ple lead way in N. Carolina” in Workers Friday, April 1, followed suit and passed sweeping law on April 1, saying it would: A fierce backlash in Georgia caused World issue dated April 7 or at workers. HB 1523. However, the bill was delayed “Prohibit the government from taking Gov. Nathan Deal, a Republican, to veto org.) by Mississippi Democrats and will face any action against religious organiza- a similar law on March 28. LGBTQ and The legalization of LGBTQ marriage another vote today. The bill is expected to tions that decline to provide adoption or civil rights activists joined large employ- on June 26 of last year, the Black Lives pass, before being sent to Gov. Phil Bry- foster care services to married same-sex ers and the entertainment industry to Matter movement and other struggles for ant for his signature. Bryant has said he couples. condemn HB 757. Deal was forced by this justice have galvanized this bigoted back- will sign it. “Allow physicians and other medical pressure to veto the anti-LGBTQ law and lash in the South. It’s up to the people’s This fast track to bigotry against the professionals to deny services related conceded, “I do not think we have to dis- struggle to defeat racist and bigoted laws LGBTQ community is being cloaked un- to sex reassignment or ‘psychological, criminate against anyone to protect the and all reactionary moves. Solidarity and der the lofty pretense of “freedom of reli- counseling or fertility services’ based faith-based community in Georgia, which unity, under the leadership of the most gion.” The heinous law would allow busi- upon their religious beliefs. I and my family have been a part of for oppressed, will be key in these struggles. nesses, public employees, organizations “Prohibit government from taking ac- generations.” (gov.georgia.gov, March 28) (Trans* with an asterisk is currently and individuals to legally deny LGBTQ tion against employers or school officials Both the Georgia and Mississippi bills used to indicate the wide spectrum of people in Mississippi the right to marry, who establish sex-specific rules and poli- came on the heels of North Carolina’s no- varying genders of people who do not adopt children and have access to hous- cies concerning who may use restrooms, toriously bigoted edict passed and signed conform to the either/or of feminine/ ing, jobs and services. Blatant discrimi- lockers or dressing rooms. into law by Gov. Pat McCrory on March masculine, female/male.) No charges filed against killer cops who murdered Jamar Clark

By Jess Sundin one-sided police version. He claimed that witnesses who said they saw Clark hand- this claim unbelievable. “I know he FightBack News Clark was acting aggressively, resisting cuffed, Freeman’s decision rested entirely wouldn’t say that, and I know he wouldn’t arrest and trying to take an officer’s gun. on the testimony of police and paramedics. grab a gun.” He said Jamar had a new job The following article was published According to Freeman, when Ringgen- But the paramedics who were first on the and was turning his life around shortly by FightBack News on March 30. (fight- berg felt his utility belt slip, he told his scene were in their vehicle during the po- before he was killed. Giving voice to the backnews.org) partner that Clark was going for his gun. lice confrontation with Clark. And the oth- determination of many to continue the Minneapolis — All eyes were on Hen- Ringgenberg repeatedly said, “He has got ers arrived after he was killed. Police say fight for justice for Jamar Clark, he said: nepin County Attorney Mike Freeman to- my gun,” and urged Schwarze to shoot they found handcuffs open, on the grass “We’re not running. We can’t have this. day, March 30, as he announced “criminal Clark. Freeman narrated the video clips near Clark’s body, but Ringgenberg and We have to get justice.” charges are not warranted” against police he showed, but Jamar Clark’s supporters Schwarze claim they never got them on. Later today, the Twin Cities Coalition officers Mark Ringgenberg and Dustin didn’t buy his story. Reisha Williams of the NAACP said: for Justice 4 Jamar Clark will hold an Schwarze for the shooting death of Jamar Pastor Danny Givens commented, “Whether he was handcuffed or not does emergency rally at 5 p.m. at James and Clark. The room and the hallway outside “The video that I watched showed a Ja- not give you clearance to kill somebody. Plymouth Avenues North, in Minneap- were packed with Clark’s family members mar Clark that looked concerned about He was on the ground, he was already re- olis. A memorial has been maintained and their supporters, who immediately his girlfriend. The video that I watched strained, he had two physical men on top there, the place Clark was killed. Orga- denounced his decision and called for the showed a Jamar Clark that looked tem- of him. So whether he was handcuffed or nizers will rally with the North Minneap- community to take to the streets and keep pered. The video that I watched didn’t not is not the reason why he should have olis community to demand prosecution up the fight for justice. show a Jamar Clark beating on the door been murdered.” of the police. Black Lives Matter Minne- After Freeman spent some time prais- or irate or uncontrollable. The video that Freeman also repeated several times apolis and the Black Liberation Project ing himself for transparency and re- I saw didn’t show a Jamar Clark resisting that Clark’s last words, as Schwarze held also have plans for a “Post Announce- viewing legal statutes related to his deci- arrest.” a gun to his mouth, were, “I’m ready to ment Gathering,” at Elliot Park in down- sion, most of his presentation outlined a Discounting more than a dozen eye- die.” His cousin, Cameron Clark, found town Minneapolis. Alabama community fights environmental racism

By Minnie Bruce Pratt A new civil rights movement is strong Perry County, Ala. in the county — against the Arrowhead Landfill, where almost 4 million tons of From Alabama to Michigan comes this coal ash were dumped after a 2008 con- solidarity message: Black Belt Citizens tainment failure at a federally run pow- Fighting for Health and Justice “stand in er plant in Tennessee. The landfill in the support of Flint residents and all peoples Perry County city of Uniontown is di- living in oppressive conditions as a result rectly across the street from homes and of racist discrimination.” yards where children play. (motherjones. As the people of the city of Flint, Mich., org, Feb. 29) fight catastrophic corporate-government Esther Calhoun, president of Black Black Belt Citizens from ­Perry ­County, collusion in the poisoning of their water Belt Citizens, says of the landfill: “The Ala., march at Moral ­Monday, ­in PHOTO: KYLE CRIDER supply, folks in tiny Perry County, Ala., smell, the pollution and the fear affect Montgomery, Sept 22, 2014. Black Belt Citizens Fighting for Health and Justice are battling coal-ash contamination of all aspects of our lives. We don’t know gather to strategize near ­Uniontown, Ala., March 31. its air, dirt and water by a local for-profit whether it’s safe to eat food from our landfill. Black Belt Citizens, a grassroots gardens, or simply spend time outdoors.” bers of this poor community would fight community there, despite local civil dis- environmental justice group, grew from (­tinyurl.com/j3p7ltl) back or that anyone would listen to us.” obedience and a national outcry. The inci- Black and white residents who formed Coal ash carries toxic substances in- She also condemns the Alabama Depart- dent sparked the rise of the U.S. environ- Concerned Citizens of Perry County in cluding mercury, selenium, lead, man- ment of Environmental Management and mental justice movement. (Jaime Swift, 2003, filed lawsuits to stop the landfill ganese, chromium, cobalt, magnesium the U.S. Environmental Protection Agen- “It’s Not Just Flint,” The Grio, Jan. 24) and began educating the public about its and arsenic. People exposed to the ash cy for not stopping toxic dumps in a pre- Mammoth electric utilities are be- dangers. have increased health risks, including dominantly Black and poor community, ginning to close down coal-fired plants Perry County’s 10,000 people are about cancer, to their lungs, liver and kidneys. adding, “This is a civil rights issue just and to look for somewhere to dump their 90 percent African American, descended Physicians for Social Responsibility re- as much as an environmental and health coal-ash byproduct. The people of Perry from sharecroppers on local plantations, ports that coal ash is “the second largest one.” (tinyurl.com/h8hshpd) County are fighting back, including with where their ancestors were previous- source of industrial waste in the country, Southern Black communities have long this message on social media: #Stand- ly enslaved. It’s the birthplace of Black after mining.” Runoff from coal ash into been targeted for city trash and environ- withUniontown and demand freedom Civil Rights activists Coretta Scott King ground water spreads the risk of pollu- mental waste dumping. In 1973, in rural from environmental violence #WeCant- and Jimmie Lee Jackson, whose murder tion. (tinyurl.com/jyx5a9h) Warren County, N.C., 6,000 truckloads Breathe. there sparked the 1965 Selma-to-Mont- Calhoun praises her community’s re- of carcinogenic polychlorinated biphenyl For a timeline of the Perry County gomery March. sistance: “No one thought that the mem- (PCB) were dumped in the poor Black struggle go to http://bit.ly/1Ks7ztx Page 4 April 14, 2016 workers.org BOSTON Women’s Fightback Network celebrates IWD

By Maureen Skehan the national Aafia Foundation in Boston demanding her freedom, helped organize a demonstration on Under the banner, “Uphold the steps of MIT in Cambridge, Massachusetts teachers’ unions endorse the Legacy of Women’s Resis- Mass., on March 8, to raise trans* rights bill tance,” the Women’s Fightback awareness about Dr. Siddiqui’s Despite a wave of reactionary, anti-trans* legislation sweeping the Network held a powerful In- unjust imprisonment and de- country, most recently in North Carolina, the two largest teach- ternational Women’s Day cel- mand her repatriation home. WW PHOTOS: LIZ GREEN ers unions in Massachusetts have taken a bold stance for equality. ebration on March 26, uniting Workers World Party presi­ Workers World Party presidential (Trans* is used with an asterisk to indicate the spectrum of all the the anti-imperialist struggles den­tial candidate Monica candidate Monica Moorehead. different genders of people who do not conform to the either/or of of women globally, from Puerto Moorehead spoke on the revolu- Trade Organization and the male/female or masculine/feminine.) The Massachusetts Teachers Rico and India to Pakistan and tionary history of International World Bank), institutionalized Association and American Federation of Teachers announced March Honduras, with the Black Lives Working Women’s Day and its discrimination against Dalit 14 their support for a bill that would ban discrimination on the basis Matter, immigrant rights and origins in the heroic struggles students (formerly called un- of gender identity in all places of public accommodation. The bill LGBTQ people of color move- of immigrant women garment touchables), the criminaliza- specifically protects the right of trans* people to use public rest­ ments confronting racist police workers in New York City before tion of dissent, and state terror rooms or locker rooms in line with their gender identity. That right is violence, state repression and the Triangle Shirtwaist Facto- against students and academics under attack in state legislatures in Illinois, Mississippi, Tennessee anti-trans bigotry in the U.S. ry fire in 1911. Workers’ strikes who speak up. Student commu- and elsewhere. (transequality.org) The voices of Sweet Honey shook the capitalist system in nists and socialists are now join- Massachusetts banned anti-trans* discrimination in public schools, and the Rock singing “We are the U.S. and inspired women ing hands with brave students as well as employment, housing and lending in 2011, but lawmakers the Ones” reverberated through socialists in Europe to call for from the Dalit caste to fight the left out public restrooms and locker rooms. However, trans* access the room as co-chairs Myia X the creation of a global day of rampant injustices created by to these facilities has been successfully implemented for five years and Rachel Hassinger invited solidarity with women workers’ capitalism and imperialism. in Boston Public Schools. According to Tom Scott, executive director the multinational, intergenera- struggles as a concrete gesture Rachel Corey, an organizer of the Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents, which tional crowd to share the resis- of solidarity. with the Criminal Justice Pol- endorsed the bill, “We’ve done it in the schools, and I think that it tance writings of Lolita Lebrón, Moorehead also saluted the icy Coalition, spoke about the can be done outside the schools.” (Boston Globe, March 14) Assata Shakur and the Dalit Black Lives Matter movement growing campaign to stop the women of India. and heroic LGBTQ movements, construction of a new women’s Martha Morgan Guevara, linking arms in the fight against prison in Massachusetts. She California farmworkers march a Spanish teacher and volun- racism, bigotry and oppression. urged the crowd to join the local for overtime equality teer with Centro Presente in She addressed the Hillary Clin- movement for a moratorium on Farmworkers in California, organized by the Farm Workers, are East Boston, spoke passionate- ton campaign, emphasizing how building any new jails while also observing “Cesar Chavez Month” — the period between the influ- ly about her work supporting Clinton does not represent the calling for bail reform, alterna- ential labor organizer’s March 31 birthday and the anniversary of immigrant families, interests of poor and tives to mass incarceration and his death April 23 —by staging protest marches with supporters in mainly women and working-class women. to vote against the Massachu- agricultural centers, demanding the same overtime pay that most children, who have Moorehead explained setts bill S1297. workers get and denouncing presidential candidate Donald Trump. been forced to migrate how socialism cannot Professor Susan Massad re- The mass labor struggles of the 1930s won passage of the land- to the U.S. from their be voted in and must ported on the March 20 Wash- mark 1938 Fair Labor Standards Act, which guarantees a minimum homelands and are liv- be fought for by peo- ington, D.C., anti-Zionist protest wage and overtime for most U.S. workers. However, in a last-minute ing with severe trauma ple’s movements; and outside the annual American concession to Southern politicians and farmers who depended on and the daily threat of that racism, sexism and Israel Public Affairs Commit- super-exploited Black labor, legislators excluded farmworkers, as deportation. anti-LGBTQ bigotry tee Policy Conference, opposing well as domestic and tipped workers, from the law’s protections. All Sandra McIntosh, cannot be voted away. U.S. financial support for Israel. Letta Neely these groups, including majority Black and Latino/a farmworkers, teacher and co-chair of The bourgeois elections She also gave an update on Pal- continue to be paid lower wages and enjoy fewer benefits. the Coalition for Equal Quality come and go every four years but estinian activist and attorney, During the month, thousands of marchers will demand passage Education, paid homage to the the conditions stay the same or Rasmea Odeh, who was arrest- of AB 2757, which would mandate overtime pay for farmworkers women who influenced her life worsen, unless there is an inde- ed and imprisoned for “unlaw- who work more than eight hours a day or 40 hours a week, to be by saying their names, includ- pendent fightback movement led ful procurement of naturaliza- phased in by 2020. Supporters can sign a pledge and donate to the ing Harriet Tubman, Sojourn- by the workers and oppressed to tion.” On Feb. 25, a ruling from march effort at action.ufw.org/page/s/otpledge. er Truth, Ida B. Wells, Shirley defend our interests. the 6th Circuit U.S. Court of Ap- Chisholm (the first woman to Revolutionary warrior poet peals determined that the trial run for U.S. president), anar- Letta Neely uplifted and judge who sentenced Odeh, Ger- Companies required to report chist Emma Goldberg and Berta strengthened the crowd with shwin Drain, wrongfully barred union-busting efforts Cáceres, the Indigenous Hondu- readings from her book of po- expert torture witness Dr. Mary Bosses have long used intimidation and anti-union propaganda to ran activist tragically murdered ems called “Juba,” including a Fabri from testifying at the tri- try to stop labor organizing efforts, but only recently has hiring anon- by U.S.-backed mercenaries special tribute to the four little al. The case will be remanded so ymous anti-union “consultants” become common. It’s estimated that in March. She shared with the Black girls killed in the church that admissibility of the expert today they are hired by 75 percent of companies fighting unions. crowd an old African proverb: bombing in Birmingham, Ala., testimony can be determined. On March 23, the Department of Labor issued a new rule requir- “As long as someone remembers in 1963: “Which patent Supporters are hope- ing companies to publicly report, as of July 1, all use of labor consult- you, you will live forever.” leather shoe belongs to ful that Odeh will get ing firms and the amount of money spent on them. Federal law has Freelance writer Karina which found leg?” She re- a new trial. required unions to publicly report the amount of money they spend Friedman focused on women minded the crowd that the The meeting ended on union campaigns since 1959. (New York Times, March 24) political prisoners, highlighting same oppressive system with a revolutionary Many of these viciously anti-worker firms go so far as to advertise the case of Dr. Aafia Siddiqui, a that bombed those chil- salute from Myia X their rates of success and some even offer money-back guarantees. For Pakistani-born Muslim activist, dren continues to murder to the founding mem- in-depth information about them, visit jwj.org/unionbusters-101. mother and honors graduate of our children today, and bers of the Women’s the Massachusetts Institute of urged the crowd to keep Fightback Network, Tyson forced to pay Iowa workers overtime Technology and Brandeis Uni- building a movement that now celebrating 15 The Supreme Court sided 6-2 on March 22 with thousands versity. In 2003, she was kid- will sweep away these years of organiz- Myia X of workers at a pork processing plant in Storm Lake, Iowa, who napped, imprisoned and brutal- conditions completely. ing together. X said: banded together in a class-action suit to recover overtime pay from ly tortured under the “global war Dr. Padma ­Balasubramanian “Solidarity is our most potent Tyson Foods. By deciding the plaintiffs could rely on statistics to on terror” and currently remains reported on the student move- weapon, so let’s keep building prove their case, the court limited the sweep of its 2011 decision in incarcerated at FMC Carswell, a ment in India, its fight against and uniting our struggles to Walmart Stores v. Dukes, which threw out an employment discrim- U.S. military prison in Texas. the privatization of education confront and abolish the system ination class-action suit brought on behalf of 1.6 million women The WFN, which has joined with (as demanded by the World that oppresses us.” workers and made it harder for workers, investors and consumers to join together to pursue claims. The workers sued in 2007 under the Fair Labor Standards Act, arguing they should have been compen- sated for the time it took to put on and take off the safety equipment they were required to wear while they worked. A jury agreed that Tyson was guilty of wage theft and awarded a $5.8 million judgment in favor of roughly 3,300 workers. (New York Times, March 23) WW hopes this ruling will help other workers whose bosses have refused to pay for the time they must spend preparing for and cleaning up after work. Martha Morgan Guevara, Sandra McIntosh, Karina Friedman, Padma Balasubramanian, Rachel Corey and Susan Massad workers.org April 14, 2016 Page 5 Bus drivers bring victory story to Chicago

By Martha Grevatt After 26 months of struggle, this Chicago union-busting company was forced to re- instate four unjustly fired union leaders. Two leaders of the Boston School Bus The union won an excellent contract. Drivers, Steelworkers Local 8751, arrived The brothers received a tremendous re- in Chicago on April 2. Union Trustees sponse when they spoke to over 100 peo- Fred Floreal and Frantz “Fanfan” Cadet ple at a transit workers meeting during came to tell over 2,000 union activists the conference. After the conference, at attending the Labor Notes conference a meeting hosted by Local 8751, they led about their great victory against the Ve- a rich discussion about the victory with olia/Transdev transnational corporation. labor, political and youth activists. Bus drivers and supporters at Labor Notes meeting.

WW PHOTO: CHERYL LABASH Federal workers under attack

By Carl Lewis The proposed legislation also demands attempt at union busting: “AFGE is the above, a low-grade worker who managed that agencies that have unions in place largest union representing federal work- inventory at a commissary, which is ba- Congress has unleashed a number of report the amount of official time taken ers (600,000); however, a recent ruling sically a supermarket, was described as right-wing bills that would erode job se- by union officers to assist and bargain by the U.S. Court of Appeals narrows in a “critically-sensitive position.” curity, pay, and, for federal workers, the for federal workers. The purpose of this the definition of who can be protected In the same article, Davidson writes very right to join and be represented by demand is to slam unions by restricting by a union, by reclassifying employees that, according to Tom Devine, legal di- a union. One of the more restrictive at- if not eliminating official time and to as ‘security sensitive’ the same way that rector of the nonprofit Government Ac- tempts at union busting is cutting down convince the public that it is a waste of the National Security Agency, the FBI, countability Project, “The worker is de- the right of union representatives to use taxpayers’ money. Without the right to and the CIA classifies those employees fenseless.” The court backed the Obama what is called “official time” to both rep- official time, unions cannot effectively as ‘critically sensitive’ and thus prevent- administration’s argument that the Mer- resent and negotiate labor contracts for defend workers against arbitrary and ed from exercising their union rights. it Systems Protection Board, which hears workers. Official time simply means that capricious discipline, unjust firings and Therefore, those employees would have appeal rights from federal workers, can- union representatives can take time to reduction in pay. no appeal rights.” not review or overturn an agency’s de- represent and negotiate for an employee, The president of an American Fed- The Obama administration is also cision to take disciplinary or adverse on their regular pay, without taking their eration of Government Employees lo- proposing legislation that would change actions against an employee’s sensitive own leave time. cal told Workers World of yet another the definition of what a “security, and/or position. Meanwhile, Devine added, the a critically sensitive position” is. administration is proposing regulations In the Aug. 21, 2013, edition of the that would make nearly all federal jobs Washington Post, the paper’s expert on eligible for a sensitive designation. Chicago strike! federal employees, Joe Davidson, re- In summation, unions in the federal ferred to the absurdity of these rulings sector are hampered by a myriad of fed- Continued from page 1 regarding “critically-sensitive” positions, eral and agency laws, rules regulations door, prompting a picket line. Those especially for civilians who work at mili- and policy that restrict the rights and ac- Orleans funeral march, with coffins and rallying then explained that the admin- tary bases. In the court ruling referenced tivities of federal workers. a jazz band to symbolize the death of istration was refusing to meet with the public education, protesters marched to unions. a McDonald’s in solidarity with the fight Service Employees union Local 1 for a $15 an hour minimum wage. Sup- spokesperson, Izabela Miltko, told the porters then got on buses to join the city- April 1 Chicago Tribune, “Nearly 100 New York State budget – wide downtown rally for the teachers. baggage handlers, custodians, cabin Black Youth Project 100 held a teach- cleaners, security officers and wheelchair in at Chicago State. CSU senior Darren attendants walked off the job at O’Hare no big deal for workers Martin told the paper Catalyst Chicago [Airport], joining their peers at eight oth- that it would be hard to find another uni- er airports across the country participat- By G. Dunkel impose its own judgment on this. versity that has a resource center for Af- ing in 24-hour strikes on March 31.” New York City Gov. Andrew Cuomo made a big deal rican-American males, a president who At the mass rally outside the Illinois out of income tax cuts that will cost the talks with students one-on-one and a di- State Building downtown, CTU President The new, New York state budget for state more than $4 billion annually by verse faculty “who looks like you.” Lewis spoke to the crowd of over 25,000. “This is what happens when we come to- 2017 is both a detailed spending plan and 2025. Income tax cuts generally benefit ‘Not a moment but a movement’ gether and stop fighting each other and a list of policy declarations. It went into the people with the highest incomes — effect on April 1, as soon as the Legisla- otherwise known as the rich. Many of CTU President Karen Lewis, who re- know who our enemies are,” she said. ture passed it and the governor signed it. the wealthiest New Yorkers have already ceived her teaching credentials at CSU, “Instead of somebody telling us why we Since the deal was struck early in the figured out how to game the tax system explained: “It’s not just us. This is not a shouldn’t be in the streets, we should morning of April 1, details are still to be so that their “adjusted gross income” is moment. Brothers and sisters, this is a take the street.” The march then pro- announced, but the policies clearly favor zero or even negative, which means they movement.” ceeded down Michigan Avenue, blocking the wealthy and well-off. pay no income taxes. (New York Times, Over 100 striking teachers at a South- traffic in a sea of red — the color of CTU How much of an increase in the min- March 29) west Side school left the picket lines for shirts and hoodies. imum wage you’ll receive depends on The budget saves the City University a short time, but not for a rest. They This coming together of workers — where you live. It will reach $15 an hour of New York from Gov. Cuomo’s threat- marched over to the factory where Nabis- from college professors to the most op- in New York City, but only at the end of ened $485 million cut to the city budget. co/Mondalez makes Oreo cookies. There, pressed and exploited food workers to 2018. Westchester County and Long Is- But it keeps his administration’s policy of they joined forces with the Bakery Union youth of color resisting police killings — land, where average incomes are greater underinvestment in CUNY and the work- (BCTGM) to oppose company plans to is what solidarity looks like. Calling for a than in the city, won’t reach a $15 an hour ing-class students it serves. It also fails to close the factory and move to Mexico, in citywide strike against attacks happen- minimum for nearly six years. The min- include any back pay for CUNY employ- order to undermine the union and drive ing across the state and around the world imum in the rest of the state will reach ees, who have not had a new contract for down wages. The popular chant was is how movements are built and victories only $12.50, and that figure in 2021. five years and so have had their wages “Teachers, Nabisco workers, we are with are won. In New York City, 27 percent of all frozen at the 2011 level. you!” Demonstrators showed they appreciat- households earn less than $25,000 a year Barbara Bowen, president of the Pro- Four Chicago school buses ferried ed a statement from the Workers World according to the Census Bureau. If this fessional Staff Congress, which rep- workers attending the national Labor Party Moorehead-Lilly presidential cam- involves an individual working 40 hours resents the faculty and some staff at Notes Conference to the Chicago Depart- paign — Monica Moorehead is a former a week, this means they are paid about CUNY, in a letter to the PSC’s members, ment of Aviation administration build- public school teacher — titled “We Salute $12 an hour. A mandatory minimum of wrote, “I do not see the economic justice ing, where airport workers are fighting the Chicago Teachers Strike! Shut down $15 an hour could put another $6,000 a in a budget that adheres to a completely for $15 and a union. Canadian postal Racism, Capitalism and Injustice.” The year in their pockets. artificial requirement for economic aus- workers, members of the United Electri- candidates wrote: “The CTU is leading Besides splitting the state by regions terity and fails to invest adequately in the cal Workers union, printers, retired gov- the way towards a better world, a world in and allowing small businesses an exemp- public university that serves the working ernment workers and an airport worker which youth of color, immigrants, Black tion for the minimum-wage increase, this class.” from El Salvador, Magdalena Hernández, people, LGBTQ people and all work- budget includes provisions that allow The PSC intends to keep on bargain- SITIAPES, joined CTU members and air- ing-class people are valued and whose bosses to avoid paying the higher mini- ing for a new contract with the CUNY port workers. needs are put first. We stand in total sol- mum if the economy worsens. The exec- administration and to organize a vote to A CDA official called security and de- idarity and admiration for this fighting utive branch of the state government can authorize a strike. manded the group move away from the organization and its allies.” Page 6 April 14, 2016 workers.org Capitalism = homelessness By Stephen Millies President Franklin Roosevelt declared people were displaced by highways he trying to integrate Little Rock’s Central in 1937 that one-third of people in the had constructed, like the Cross-Bronx High School in 1957. (New York Times, Nearly 24,000 children sleep every U.S. were “ill-housed.” Millions of share- Expressway. March 1, 2014) night in New York City municipal shel- cropping families were living in shacks. As many as 500,000 people were African Americans were also frozen ters, according to the Coalition for the Strikers occupied the GM plants in thrown out of their homes by Robert Mo- out of 12,000 apartments at MetLife’s Homeless. But not a single child is home- Flint, Mich., as FDR spoke. Many people ses, according to “The Power Broker” by Parkchester complex in the Bronx until less in socialist Cuba. knew about the Soviet Union’s socialist Robert Caro. after Dr. King was assassinated in 1968. Money isn’t lacking for housing in the five-year plans that built entire new cit- New York’s “progressive” Mayor Bill de Only struggle forced the LeFraks and capital of capitalism. Seven years ago, ies, like the steel town of Magnitogorsk. Blasio is ramming through zoning chang- Trumps to open their apartments and co- Zeckendorf Development sold condos Public housing began to be built in es that will drive more poor people out of operatives to Black and Latino/a families costing $2 billion at their palace over- the United States in the late 1930s, but it gentrifying neighborhoods. in Brooklyn and Queens. looking Manhattan’s Central Park. (Vani- wasn’t to the liking of the real estate lobby. His Housing Authority refused to turn ty Fair, September 2008) Wisconsin Sen. Joe McCarthy started the heat on in some projects until the out- A simple solution That’s enough dough to build 10,000 his anti-communist witch-hunting ca- side temperature dropped to 20 degrees. According to the National Low Income apartments at $200,000 apiece, which reer by labeling public housing a red plot. (New York Daily News, March 31, 2015) Housing Coalition, there’s a national could house most of New York City’s (“PR!: A Social History of Spin” by Stuart shortage of 7.2 million apartments and homeless children. But there isn’t any Ewen) Housing apartheid homes that poor families can afford. profit doing that. Developer William Levitt kept Black Over 450,000 families in New York City Ironically, it is both luxury housing Urban removal families from buying houses when he pay at least half their income on rent. and slums that make the most money McCarthy and the landlords didn’t started Levittown on Long Island in 1947. (cbcny.org) for landlords and banks. The first family have to worry. There were plenty of dead As late as 2009, the Census Bureau es- One of the Cuban Revolution’s early of New York’s “high society,” the Astors, presidents to be made from the housing timated that less than 1 percent of the achievements was limiting any family’s were the biggest slumlords in the Western shortage following World War II. 53,000 people living there were African combined rent and utility bill to only 10 Hemisphere. Senator Robert Taft — who co-spon- American. percent of their income. Mansions were There’s also loot for bottom feeders sored the union-busting Taft-Hartley bill Neither did Metropolitan Life Insur- taken over to house poor people. like the late Lyn Nofziger, who bought up — was also responsible for the 1949 Hous- ance allow Black families into its Stuyve- There’s a housing crisis in the United Baltimore slum properties while working ing Act. Taft was such a right-winger that sant Town complex on Manhattan’s Low- States, but there’s no housing shortage. for President Ronald Reagan. (Baltimore he attacked the prosecution of Nazi war er East Side. Millions of apartments and homes are Sun, Oct. 6, 1993) criminals at Nuremberg. MetLife was a cash cow for the Rocke- kept off the market by speculators and The owner of the Milwaukee trailer New York’s public construction czar feller dynasty. During the Great Depres- banks. park where author Matthew Desmond Robert Moses turned federal “slum clear- sion, MetLife President Frederick Eck- We need to take them over, like poor lived while writing “Evicted, Poverty ance” programs into a weapon of urban er approved a $40 million loan to start and working people in Cuba did. Zeck- and Profit in the American City” rakes in removal. This bigot refused to provide building Rockefeller Center. endorf’s condos in New York City should $400,000 a year. “luxury items” like toilet seat covers and Lee Lorch and Grace Lorch were belong to homeless children and their Under capitalism, even items absolute- closet doors to public housing residents. evicted by MetLife for inviting the Afri- families. ly essential to human life like housing or Moses had 7,000 mostly Puerto Ri- can-American Hendrix family to live with That’s what Workers World Party presi- food have to be sold for a profit. If the cap- can families evicted to construct Lincoln them at Stuyvesant Town. Grace Lorch dential candidate Monica Moorehead and italists could bottle the atmosphere, they Center for the Performing Arts on Man- was later one of those comforting Eliza- vice presidential candidate Lamont Lilly would sell it to you. hattan’s Upper West Side. Many more beth Eckford, one of nine Black students are fighting for. Newark children exposed to lead By Lyn Neeley State officials took over the manage- of $75,000 a year. Fourteen years later, their growing bodies absorb and retain ment of Newark schools in 1995 after instead of the lead pipes being replaced, lead more easily. Children with poor di- Nearly half the schools in Newark, N.J., the Abbott vs. Burke ruling mandated Camden students are still drinking bot- ets, lacking nutrients like calcium, absorb were temporarily shut down on March 9 that the state fund 28 “unconstitution- tled water. And now, Newark students and lead more easily. Each year in the United when elevated levels of lead were found in ally substandard” urban school districts staff are getting bottled water for drink- States, 310,000 children ages one to five the drinking water. at the same level as the state’s wealthiest ing and to prepare food in the cafeteria. years old test positive for unsafe levels of Responding to a lack of funding and districts. Newark’s schools are among the lead in their blood. (Kidshealth.org) community control, Larry Hamm, chair- poorest in the U.S. and many buildings Schools just tip of the iceberg Chronic exposure to small amounts of man of the People’s Organization for are over 100 years old. Older housing units in Newark also have lead causes neurological and behavioral Progress (POP), told Workers World, “We Hamm said that due to lack of money, lead pipes or lead soldering within pipes, damage that may be irreversible: reduced are outraged at the discovery that schools children were still being denied a thor- which leaches into the drinking water. IQ, shorter attention span and problems in Newark had unacceptable levels of lead ough education. With state funding has Lead poisoning can also be caused by lead- with social interactions. Lead poisoning in the water.” He said POP is “calling upon come state supervision of the schools, based paint found in old housing units and also causes anemia, hypertension and the state and the federal government to taking power out of the hands of the com- in soil along highways, even though the problems with the renal (kidneys), im- do what needs to be done to clean and pu- munities. “The state was to supervise the U.S. banned leaded gasoline in 1996. mune and reproductive systems. High rify public school water.” schools for five years,” he said, “but 20 According to the Centers for Disease lead exposure can cause coma, convul- Mayor Ras Baraka said: “A lot of our years later they are still in control. The Control and Prevention, about 24 million sions and even death. Lead damage to red buildings are old. That speaks to infra- state appointed its own superintendent dwellings in the U.S. have deteriorated blood cells limits the amount of oxygen structure, the reason why we need new with veto power over the school board.” lead paint, which contaminates house they can carry to organs and tissues. schools.” (AP, April 1) The schools were supposed to improve, but dust. Eating lead paint chips is dangerous Lead is stored in teeth and bones, Hamm said it was “ironic” that at the the reality is that conditions have gotten but swallowing or breathing contaminat- where it accumulates over time and may same time the story broke that children worse. Hamm said the situation was com- ed dust or soil causes the most insidious be released back into the blood during in 11 New Jersey cities had higher levels of parable to that in Flint, where after the city lead poisoning. Once these small particles pregnancy, where it can be absorbed by lead in their blood than children in Flint, went bankrupt, the state took over and ad- get into the body, they are easily absorbed. the fetus. Most lead ends up in the bones, Mich. (myCentralJersey.com, Feb 3), POP ministrators, to save money, switched the Children living in older housing are at interfering with the production of blood was holding a demonstration condemn- water supply from the Detroit reservoir to greatest risk. In Newark, more than 30 cells and the absorption of calcium. ing the lead poisoning in Flint’s water. the highly polluted Flint River. percent of the housing was built before Newark schools tested above the Envi- In 2003, the EPA offered to help mon- 1950. Levels of lead in paint were as high Reparations and community control ronmental Protection Agency’s safe level itor lead levels in Newark public school as 50 percent. Lead-based oil paint was Districts and teachers are often blamed for lead of 15 parts per billion. water, but city officials rejected the EPA banned for use in housing in 1971. (Child- for children not performing well in school proposal, claiming the city already had hood Lead Poisoning in New Jersey An- when, in fact, this problem can reflect a plan to install new fountains and lead nual Report, 2010) the effects of lead poisoning, economic filters. Part of the city’s plan was to have Monica Moorehead, Workers World inequality, environmental racism and MARXISM, REPARATIONS school employees run the water for 30 2016 presidential candidate and a New an imposition of state control. What’s & the Black Freedom Struggle seconds before children came to school. Jersey resident, points out that “Newark needed is money for new housing and wa- However, school staff and community or- is the most populated city in New Jersey ter pipes, and community control of the An anthology of ganizers said those rules were not consis- with the second-highest poverty rate.” agencies that affect people’s lives. writings from Workers tently enforced. Many teachers said they Those with the lowest incomes live in the City Council member Eddie Osborne World newspaper. were never told to run the water and that oldest housing, where their health is com- said Newark should act fast and hire an Edited by Monica Moorehead. water filters, which need replacing every promised by lead paint and pipes. People environmental consultant to perform the six months, had not been changed in five who are better off have moved to newer study, and that Newark residents “cannot years. (WNYC, March 17) homes in the suburbs. wait for a state or federal agency to return In 2002, when dangerously high lead our phone calls for answers.” He said, levels were found in schools in Camden, Effects of lead poisoning “We need our own consultants, our own Available at major online booksellers. N.J. — another poor, majority Black city Children and developing fetuses are at access to data and solutions, and we need — bottled water was provided at a cost the greatest risk of lead poisoning because it now!” (NJ.com, March 21) workers.org April 14, 2016 Page 7 Baltimore tribunal says Decent housing is a human right!

By Carl Lewis still had a deficit. Ledbetter ques- Baltimore tioned why so much money went to wealthy white men for business In response to the deplorable and in- development and not to provide human conditions of this city’s housing housing and jobs for people living projects, several groups came together on in the housing projects. April 2 for the first-ever citywide Tribu- People’s Judge Ariane McBride, nal on Housing. herself a transitional housing res- The Baltimore People’s Power Assem- ident, testified about transitional bly, the Southern Christian Leadership housing: “It is where the residents, Conference and the Ujima People’s Prog- mostly women and children, are ress Party sponsored the event at the St. waiting to move into established Vincent DePaul Church in the heart of housing projects. However, the downtown Baltimore. complex also is in need of repairs For months, the People’s Power Assem- Baltimore Tribunal on Housing, April 2. and is severely mismanaged.” In- bly had interviewed and gathered infor- spectors and managers make “sur- mation, photos and petitions from resi- umentation that our residents have col- Amy Millar, Food and Commercial Work- prise visits” and then blame residents for dents who have been lodging complaints lected. Public housing is slum housing ers union Local 1884; Gary Nelson, city the disrepair, including broken lights and against the Baltimore City Housing Au- and is a violation of the United Nations firefighter; Leon Purnell, board member appliances. Most of the young residents thority and its commissioner, Paul Gra- charter on human rights.” SCLC, Men’s and Families Center, East- with children are too scared to speak out, ziano. They gathered data at McCullough The PPA presented photos for the judge side; Torianne Tots, student at Maryland and so far six to seven families have lost Homes, Poe Homes, Latrobe Homes, and jurors to examine as well as testimo- Institute College of Art; and Floyd Vines, their transitional housing status, mean- Douglas Homes, Perkins Homes and, last ny from residents of different housing J. Van Story Branch Senior Housing. ing they are evicted and cannot apply for but not least, Gilmore Homes, where the projects. Graziano was found guilty by Many individuals and residents testi- public housing for three years. arrest and killing of Freddie Grey in police the tribunal for the following housing fied. President Anthony Coates of ­AFSCME One of the jurors said: “We cannot be custody had set off widespread protests. code violations: no heat; mold; pest in- Local 647 said these problems have been color blind. This is a city that is almost 70 The trigger that led the PPA to mobi- festations, including mice, roaches and ignored for 13 years. A housing project percent Black. This is a trend happening lize in the communities was when a city bedbugs; broken windows and doors; activist said the ultimate goal of the city in all the large metropolitan areas of the employee, Lucky Crosby, who monitored unhealthy water; broken plumbing; over- is to privatize housing, pointing out that U.S.: move Black people out of the city homes needing repairs, heard a number crowding; broken appliances; holes in $600 million of Baltimore city taxpayers’ and give them Section 8 housing in the of complaints from residents who had ceilings and walls; broken railings; and money went to Harbor East for business suburbs, then attract white yuppies into been threatened or coerced into having lack of timely repairs, despite repeated development, while the city has 30,000 gentrified areas of the city, where they sex in return for repairs. When Crosby requests by the residents. vacant and boarded-up homes. can spend their dollars and enhance the reported these documented incidents, he The judges were Lenora Knowles of PPA activist Steven Ceci played a growth of the city, similar to the situation was terminated by the Baltimore Hous- the People’s Power Assembly, Ariane tape recording of a McCullough Homes in D.C., where wealthy white folks are be- ing Commission. American Federation of McBride of the People’s Power Assem- manager threatening residents who go coming the majority of residents.” State, County and Municipal Employees bly and Nnamdi Lumumba of the Ujima to the tribunal with eviction. Commis- The tribunal concluded with a num- Local 647 is in litigation defending Cros- People’s Progress Party. The broadness of sioner Graziano was also present at that ber of action proposals: a fact-finding by, who is an executive board member of the tribunal was reflected in the jurors: confrontation to back up the manager’s commission to continue the work with a the union, over punishment he received Leo Burroughs, Committee of Concerned threat. Floyd Vines, an electrician for city follow-up meeting in May; a protest and for whistleblowing on these events. Citizens; the Rev. Annie Chambers, Big maintenance workers at the J. Van Story caravan to Graziano’s residence; a cam- Housing Commissioner Graziano had Mamma’s House; President Anthony Branch of Senior Housing, said that “cor- paign to demand jobs for housing project known for some time that this extortion Coates, AFSCME Local 647; ShaiVaughn ruption is so deep in public housing that it residents, especially the youth; that union for repairs was going on. The PPA issued Crawley, youth activist; Lucky Crosby, is unfathomable.” apprentice training be given to carry out him a summons to appear before the tri- fired housing worker; attorney Carl Gen- President Lorraine Ledbetter of the repairs and that the workers be paid bunal. Sharon Black told reporters on tile, Union Labor Activists; Colleen Gil- Poe Homes Tenants Association testified $15 an hour; a campaign to stop gentri- March 29 that the summons was delivered lian, Fight Imperialism, Stand Together that every time money was invested in fication; getting a city statute for greater to Graziano’s office and date-stamped by (FIST) youth group; President Kenneth the University of Maryland, Baltimore, whistleblower protection; and demand- the BHC Legal Department. “We will see Gwee, Christian Leadership for Econom- adjacent to Poe Homes, both the city and ing a meeting with the Housing and Ur- if he abides by the summons,” Black said. ic Development; Courtney Jenkins, Post- the university promised they would also ban Development official at the national “Graziano can’t say he doesn’t know — as al Workers Local 181; President Lorraine invest monies to rehabilitate Poe Homes. level. All the judges and jurors noted this he did during the ‘sex for repairs’ scandal. Ledbetter, Poe Tenants Association; Kira In 15 years, over $1 billion was loaned will be a protracted struggle and not a All he has to do is attend and hear from Lynae, Baltimore Workers World Party; or invested in the UMB, yet Poe Homes “one-shot deal.” the residents themselves and see the doc- Brooklyn, N.Y.: ‘Affordable for WHO?’ By Anne Pruden families. Speakers today explained that New York alleged affordability is fixed on the in- come of wealthy neighborhoods. De Bla- March 30 —“Luxury high-rises are be- sio’s term “affordable” sounds good, but ing built in our neighborhoods; rents and isn’t applicable for most Brooklyn neigh- property taxes keep going up and up; and borhoods where people of color have long-term residents are being displaced! waged many battles to obtain housing in This is why the Brooklyn Anti-gentrifica- recent decades. tion Network is fighting to change the city BAN is using street rally tactics, in- charter to make community boards elect- cluding going door to door and holding ed, not appointed, and to give them veto town hall meetings. The protesters’ deter- power!” said organizer Alicia Boyd. mination was heard in the chant “Whose Speaking today at the entrance to city? Our city!” Brooklyn’s City Hall, Boyd was among ac- A few days later, more than 100 East tivists throughout the city who see their New Yorkers met at a community church community boards powerless to stop de- on a bitterly cold April 3 to ride the long velopers. The gentrification of the city has distance to Manhattan’s City Hall. There, a racist character, which was protested at they appealed to a mayor who boosts an Manhattan City Hall, April 3. W PHOTO: ANNE PRUDEN the rally and covered by local news outlets. affordable housing plan that is really a New York City’s Mayor Bill de Blasio plan of, by and for real estate developers leader from the southwest Bronx who Chants included: “Hey de Blasio, where recently chose to ignore that most com- — not for the working class and people of spoke about demanding a “No” vote to we gonna go?” “Hey hey, ho ho! Luxury munity boards don’t approve of his deal color. Speakers explained their plight in rezoning their East New York neighbor- condos have got to go!” “What’s not for with developers to rezone. Developers different ways as the large crowd of East hood that would require only 3 percent sale? East New York!” and “Our commu- claim that affordable housing is offered New Yorkers covered the wide steps lead- of 6,000 new units to be affordable. The nity! Our plan!” Speakers mentioned with in 20 percent of the high-rise apartments ing to the City Hall entrance. mostly Black and Brown tenants in the pride a fair housing plan that these ten- now displacing housing for working-class They had the support of a Latina tenant area are mostly low income. ants have developed. Page 8 April 14, 2016 workers.org

Japan’s prime minister defies anti-war public

By John Catalinotto under the pretext that an ally of Japan is public of Korea. This is much like the way under attack or that Japanese lives are British, French and German armed forc- As 40,000 Japanese anti-war pro- threatened. Although U.S. imperialism es operate in Europe under NATO com- testers were demonstrating in Tokyo on imposed a pacifist-leaning constitution mand — which is always U.S. command. March 22, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s on Japan following its victory in World The U.S. has been especially provocative cabinet approved the enactment of two War II, Washington has currently urged toward north Korea (DPRK), refusing them. Okinawa is an island group 400 security laws that the demonstrators be- the Japanese government to expand its to finally sign an agreement ending the miles south of the main Japanese islands, lieve violate pacifist clauses in Japan’s military role in East Asia. 1950-53 war and normalizing relations. with a non-Japanese population and the constitution. Washington’s strategy envisages Japa- In the late summer of 2015, when plans lion’s share of U.S. military bases. It is The rules will allow Japanese impe- nese and south Korean forces operating for this new militarization were first an- a center of anti-war activity directed rialism to use its military in a more ag- under U.S. leadership while confronting nounced, more than 100,000 Japanese against both the Japanese and the U.S. gressive way than at any time since 1945, China and the Democratic People’s Re- and Okinawans demonstrated against military machines. U.S. plans new escalation of Iraq war

By John Catalinotto Just days before this announcement, College, the students’ dormitories” and an action resulting in the equivalent of a the U.S.-led “coalition” carried out a other civilian buildings. “So far from Paris, Brussels, London on July 7, 2005, At a briefing with U.S. Secretary of bombing raid on Iraq’s second largest what we know, 90 people were killed and often multiple times daily in Iraq ever Defense Ash Carter on March 25, Joint city, Mosul, home to 1.5 million people, another 155 injured.” since. As for September 11, 2001, there Chiefs of Staff Chairman Joseph Dun- targeted because it has been run by Is- This year the anniversary of the 2003 has frequently been that death toll and ford told the press that “the secretary lamic State forces for more than a year. U.S.-British invasion — which was based heartbreak every several weeks, also on- and I both believe that there will be an The “coalition” consists of more than on imperialist lies about non-existent going.” increase to the U.S. forces in Iraq in the 60 countries backing the Iraqi regime, “weapons of mass destruction” — fell just Reliable sources state that 1.5 mil- coming weeks.” (CNN, March 25) including NATO countries and the Gulf as the U.S. was bombing Mosul and two lion Iraqis died during the invasion, the This statement from the top military monarchies, but most of the actual bomb- days before the bombing in Brussels. The ongoing occupation and the internal officer confirms signals that the Penta- ing is done by the Pentagon. number killed in Mosul was more than fighting provoked by the U.S., British gon is planning a new escalation of mil- According to an interview with Iraqi twice that killed in Brussels, although it and other occupying powers. Another itary intervention in Iraq 13 years after scientist Dr. Souad Naij Al Azzawi in the was barely reported in the corporate me- 5 million were driven into internal and the U.S.-British invasion in March 2003 German daily newspaper, Junge Welt, dia in the imperialist countries. foreign exile. The Islamic State group and five years after the incomplete pull- on March 31, the March 19-20 attack on In her remarkable March 29 article in would never have existed in Iraq without out of U.S. troops. Mosul occurred in the middle of the day, TruePublica.org.uk commemorating the this invasion. CNN reported that a U.S. defense of- which she “can only interpret as that they 2003 invasion, anti-war British journal- If the Pentagon and the administration ficial told the news agency that the U.S. were intentionally planned and directed ist Felicity Arbuthnot pointed out it was of President Barack Obama are planning currently has “between 4,500 and 5,000 against the population, against civilians. the anniversary of “the biggest terrorist an escalation of U.S. forces in Iraq to con- troops in Iraq on a regular basis, about This is a war crime.” attack in modern history … the illegal in- quer Mosul and other cities in the north, 1,000 over the stated limit of 3,800,” Dr. Al Azzawi Naij said the bombers vasion and destruction — ongoing — of anti-war forces in the U.S. will need to including “200 Special Operations “used bunker-busting weapons. This Iraq.” (tinyurl.com/z3nmg92) confront this challenge — to bring it to Forces whose presence is not publicly destroyed the main building of the uni- “March 20,” the journalist continued, the streets and to all the meetings involv- ­acknowledged.” versity, the Science College, the Women’s “marked the thirteenth anniversary of ing the upcoming national elections. Sham ‘unity’ in Libya creates divisions

By Abayomi Azikiwe Egypt and Saudi Arabia. stability. For instance, when the aircraft Stratfor emphasized: Recently, “se- Editor, Pan-African News Wire Under Gadhafi, Libya enjoyed wide- with German diplomat Martin Kobler, nior members of the Misratan militia spread recognition and respect among U.N. envoy to Libya, was unable to land have publicly supported the unity gov- Five years after the U.S.-led destabili- African Union member-states. The tran- on March 23 in Tripoli, the Libyan cap- ernment, calling on the head of Libya’s zation and bombing of Libya began, im- sition from the Organization of African ital, he tweeted, the “U.N. must have the Tripoli-based government to resign and perialist attempts to establish a stable Unity to the AU in 2002 was based upon right to fly to Tripoli.” cede power to the GNA’s proposed prime neocolonial-dominated regime have not the Sirte Declaration drafted by OAU af- Neither of the rival regimes has autho- minister, Faiz Serraj.” This militia has materialized. filiates in 1999. rized the GNA, which announced in early ramped up its cooperation with the West, On March 19, 2011, the Pentagon and Many of the declaration’s ideas and the March that it was assuming control on the and is being trained by U.S. and British other NATO forces began the aerial AU’s founding documents attempted to ad- basis of a petition signed by a narrow ma- special operations forces. Stratfor con- bombardment of the formerly prosper- dress the need for greater African unity in jority of Libya’s so-called “lawmakers.” tinued: “Its support for the new govern- ous nation-state. After seven months of economic, political, telecommunications, The plan for a coalition junta is de- ment will play an important role in the airstrikes and support for an imperial- technical and military spheres. Dr. Kwame signed to pave the way for a 6,000-per- GNA’s success. Other militias in western ist-directed ground operation by proxy Nkrumah, Ghana’s leader from 1951 to son Pentagon/NATO-led intervention Libya have joined the Misratan militia in rebel militias, thousands were dead and 1966 and an OAU co-founder, called for force under the U.N. rubric, brokered by backing the unity government.” millions displaced amid the ruins of hun- a united government of Africa as the best Kobler. Having lost faith in local militias dreds of development projects and gov- method to fight imperialist dominance. and political surrogates to provide sta- Jordan’s ‘special forces’ to embed ernment institutions. The Gadhafi government adopted this bility in Libya, the U.S. and other NATO with British Leaders of the U.S., Britain, France, idea of fostering cooperation and coor- states plan to send in a military force The British Guardian newspaper re- Italy and other Western countries, in dination across the African continent. to impose a neocolonial-dominated re- ported on March 25 that Jordanian King cooperation with their allies in Africa These political activities alarmed the gime that would ensure compliance with Abdullah attended a U.S. Senate briefing and the Middle East, lauded the Libyan West, prompting the destabilization and Washington, London, Paris and Brussels’ in January. He confirmed that Britain’s war as a success story in the remaking overthrow of the Libyan state, which re- foreign policy imperatives. Special Air Services had been operating of the region, where rebel forces would mains in shambles. Stratfor Enterprises, a global intelli- in Libya since the beginning of 2016. He do international capitalism’s dirty work. gence firm, said on its website on March revealed that Jordan’s “special forces” Hillary Clinton, then secretary of state in ‘Unity’ regime elusive 21, “Western forces may soon intervene will “be embedded” alongside the British. President Barack Obama’s first adminis- Recent attempts to install a new, so- in Libya. ... Two governments have been Abdullah said, “Jordan is looking at tration, laughed at the lynching of former called “unity government” have prompt- created ... [though] neither recognized al-Shabaab” and “We need to look at all Libyan leader Col. Moammar Gadhafi, ed the Tripoli-based faction to declare a the legitimacy of the other. This is partic- the hotspots in the map. We have a rapid saying, “We came, we saw, he died.” “state of emergency.” This grouping drove ularly problematic since Western inter- deployment force that will stand with the Libya is now one of the poorest states out the internationally recognized rival vention is contingent on a viable, singular British and Kenya and is ready to go over on the continent and a source of insta- group now based in Tobruk. Libyan government.” the border [into Somalia].” bility throughout large sections of Africa Medicafricatimes.com website report- The publication stresses that the puta- Libya has become a pariah throughout and the Middle East. The once lucrative ed on March 25: “The reasons for the tive success of the U.N.-engineered GNA North and West Africa due to the lawless- oil industry — which supplied resources declaration were not officially stated but could depend on the Misrata militia, which ness characterized by human trafficking for building hefty national budget sur- there are reports that the arrival of some helps prop up the General National Con- and harboring of extremist, destructive pluses — has all but failed. Substantial members of the U.N.-backed Govern- gress regime that has taken over Tripoli. groups; an ongoing economic crisis ex- sections of extraction locations and re- ment of National Accord (GNA) in Tripoli This militia gained a reputation during the emplified by serious damage to the oil fineries have been destroyed in fighting provoked it.” 2011 war of regime change as extremely industry; and the growing presence of between rival groups backed by West- Numerous analysts view the GNA’s violent and racist in the campaign to over- U.S. and British special forces and intel- ern-allied governments, including Qatar, imposition as causing more chaos and in- throw Gadhafi’s Jamahiriya system. ligence personnel. workers.org April 14, 2016 Page 9

Thousands protest on 40th Land Day PALESTINE By Joe Catron and Gaza Strip, Palestinian Arab towns in Israel received only 4.6% territories occupied by Zionist of new housing units and only 2.5% of Thousands demonstrated in occupied forces and subjected to military reduced-cost housing units,” despite Pal- Palestine and throughout the world on rule in 1967. estinians comprising 20 percent of the March 30, marking the 40th Land Day. North of Gaza City, hundreds population and its poorest sector, with The annual event commemorates the marched toward a checkpoint more than half the population in poverty, killing of six Palestinian citizens of Isra- in Beit Hanoun, calling for the the report found. el, who were protesting the Zionist state’s right of return by Palestinian In the United States, the National Law- expropriation of more than 5,000 acres refugees who make up more yers Guild filed a complaint to the Inter- of land in 1976. than two-thirds of the Gaza nal Revenue Service against the tax-ex- Repressing a general strike — the first Strip population. empt status enjoyed by the JNF, which mobilization by Palestinians on land “Palestinians are entitled to manages land ethnically cleansed of Pal- seized by Israel in 1948 — the Zionist PHOTO: JOE CATRON their land and they will give up estinians for the exclusive benefit of Jews. forces also wounded 100 people and de- Land Day 2014 in the central Gaza Strip’s Maghazi not one inch,” Hamas leader Ya- “For nearly 70 years Palestinians have tained hundreds more. ­refugee camp. hia Moussa told the crowd. been resisting Israel’s continued theft Today these events are remembered izens, called for a general strike and pro- Near Ramallah, university students of our land,” said Nick Sous of the U.S. as the start of the organized struggle by tests against ongoing attempts to seize cut through a section of the infamous Palestinian Community Network, part Palestinians against ethnic cleansing Palestinian land. “Apartheid Wall,” hoisting a Palestinian of a coalition of Palestinian and solidar- and land theft in the heart of the Zionist “In 1976, demonstrators protested flag over expropriated farmlands before ity groups supporting the complaint. “So occupation. against the confiscation of 20,000 dunums Zionist forces repelled them with tear many Palestinians have been directly im- “We stand here today at the memorial [about 4,900 acres] of land, while today gas, rubber-coated steel bullets and con- pacted by Israel’s stealing their land with of our six martyrs who were killed de- Israel has plans to confiscate 800,000 du- cussion grenades. the support of the JNF and it is shameful fending their land,” Mohamed Barakeh, nums [about 198,000 acres] in the Negev Occupation troops also fired tear gas that the IRS actually awards people who chair of the Arab Higher Monitoring Desert,” Ayman Odeh, leader of the Ha- at demonstrators in Nablus and outside donate to support these illegal actions by Committee, said during the wreath-lay- dash party and chairman of the Joint List Ofer prison, which holds Palestinian po- allowing them to get a tax write-off.” ing ceremony at a commemorative mon- of Palestinian factions, said in Sakhnin. litical prisoners southwest of Ramallah. USPCN called on its allies to sign a pe- ument in Sakhnin. “Khadija Shawahneh, Major demonstrations took place An annual Land Day report by Ada- tition at uspcn.org and consider further Khader Khalaila, Khair Yassin, Mohsen across the Negev and Galilee regions lah: The Legal Center for Arab Minori- actions in support of the campaign. Taha, Raafat al-Zuhiri and Raja Abu where Palestinian survivors of Zion- ty Rights in Israel described the racist Catron is a member of Al-Awda New Raya, we will not forget you.” ist ethnic cleansing operations in 1948 allocation of land by the Israeli state, as York: The Palestine Right to Return Co- The committee, which coordinates maintain a strong presence. Palestinians well as Zionist “national institutions” alition and an organizer with Samidoun: political activities among Palestinian cit- also mobilized throughout the West Bank like the Jewish National Fund. “In 2015, Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network. France 1.2 million workers, students reject new labor law

By G. Dunkel labor law is a signal to increase inequality militant worker who wanted to occupy April 3, there were 18 such gatherings, and poverty with no job security.” Parliament Square. His union is firmly de- according to a map on the Twitter page. “Work more, earn less!” Give your boss Public transportation in the Paris met- fending him from the serious charges he These Nuits Debouts, or Up All Night, more flexibility so you can be “laid off more ropolitan area, as well as a number of faces, bringing this attack to the attention like Occupy sites in the U.S. in 2011, have easily!” were some of the key criticisms other urban areas, was severely disrupt- of the national media. (Libération, April 3) set up canteens, plus tables and tents to of the new labor law that French workers ed. The seven unions that issued a call for Especially in Paris and Rennes, there protect the books and leaflets being dis- explained to TV reporters were why they the general strike estimated thousands were confrontations between cops and tributed. Participants are consciously were protesting on March 31 in Paris and of work stoppages occurred. (Le Figaro, youthful protesters. trying to build a mass movement. 250 other French cities and towns. April 2) After the March 31 protest, a few Another signal that a mass movement The General Confederation of Workers Le Point, the French weekly political hundred people gathered in Place de la is building is that the left-of-center news- estimated that 1 million workers, from and news magazine, published a public République to show they wanted to con- paper Libération is putting out a chil- both the private and the public sectors, opinion poll April 3 that estimated 56 tinue the struggle even after the march dren’s book for ages 8 to 12 on the issues also took part in the protests, along with percent of the public supported these was finished. They discussed what had involved in the struggle against the revi- 200,000 university and high school stu- demonstrations. happened, what should be done next and sion of the labor law. dents and youths. High school students came out in part other issues roiling French politics, like The unions intend to keep on protesting “No more steady jobs” and “No reward to support their teachers, who were on terrorism, housing and employment. The until the bill for a new labor law is with- for all the studying we’ve done!” were strike, and because cops brutalized a cops evacuated them around 5 a.m., but, drawn. The Socialist Party, which man- the negative comments on the new law high school student in Paris during a as organizers, they reacted by putting out ages the government of capitalist France, from the students who marched with the smaller protest the week before. A video a call on social media for a gathering the is split by the attempt to impose the new workers. showing this brutality got over 2 million evening of April 1. law, with many rank-and-file members The unions representing most of the stu- views on YouTube. The cop was arrested, A few thousand people showed up, ac- opposing it. Prime Minister François dents participating in the protest issued a and will go on trial in May on charges of cording to some videos posted on Twitter Hollande has insisted he will impose the statement the day before explaining why unnecessary violence. using the tag #NuitsDebouts. The gath- anti-worker law. Whether he can will de- they acted: “For the youth, this proposed In Rennes, the cops beat a 60-year-old erings spread throughout France. As of pend on the level of mass resistance. NATO intervenes in refugee crisis By G. Dunkel the United Nations Refugee Agency As of March 23, some 149,208 mi- Adding to the complexities and confu- (­UNHCR), 38 percent of the arrivals grants have entered Greece this year. sion around the migrant issue, Turkey’s The intensity and dangers of the con- since Jan. 1 are children, 21 percent are The European Union’s decision to send government indicated it would cancel the flicts in the Middle East and North Africa adult women and 41 percent are adult all refugees who land in Greece back to deal if its citizens do not get the right to have caused hundreds of thousands of men. These percentages didn’t change Turkey if they came after March 20 has travel to the EU without visas by the end refugees to flee from their homelands in much from 2015. created chaos. of 2016, an arrangement which was part desperation every month. They are not people who would spend Oxfam denounced this development of its deal with the EU. European television and YouTube a lot of money — sometimes all they have as “an offense” to Europe’s values. Other The Greek Communist Party (KKE) is- show who is fleeing: infants; toddlers; — to take the risk of suffering a serious nongovernmental organizations said that sued a statement on March 8 that point- children; pre-teens; women, some in the accident or dying to travel long distanc- the mass expulsions that they foresee ed to the causes of this crisis: “the wars last stages of pregnancy; people with es under harsh and nasty conditions, if happening violate international law. The and interventions unleashed by the USA, disabilities who are in wheelchairs or on there were any safe, realistic alternatives. NGOs have to get permission from the NATO and the EU in the wider region of crutches; and men of all ages, from the The number of migrants who entered police to enter the new detention centers the Middle East, the Eastern Mediterra- young and fit to the elderly and frail. They Europe in 2015 through the Aegean Sea’s that Greece has set up for the migrants. nean, North Africa.” The KKE says “The are coming off the boats on the Greek is- Greek islands — many of which are ex- The UNHCR, Doctors Without Bor- victims of wars, interventions and reac- lands or are piled up in Athens ferry ter- tremely close to Turkey — is slightly over ders (Médecins sans Frontières), Save the tionary regimes have the right to seek a minals, public parks or are under tents 1 million; 92 percent came from Syria, Children, Oxfam and other well-known safer life in other countries.” (inter.kke. in the rain and mud at Idomeni on the Afghanistan and Iraq. Nearly 450,000 NGOs have withdrawn their operations gr) The anti-imperialist statement says Macedonian-Greek border. migrants landed on the Greek island of in Greece and the Aegean Islands, or they that the only permanent solution to these According to figures released by Lesbos last year. plan to do so soon. Continued on page 10 Page 10 April 14, 2016 workers.org WWP salutes Chicago teachers strike Workers World Party’s 2016 Presi- campaign, demanding an immediate al of “Mayor 1%” Rahm Emanuel. This valued and whose needs are put first. We dential Election Campaign released rise in the minimum wage for all work- energy spilled onto the national scene as, stand in total solidarity with and admi- the following statement on April 1. ers. Parents will be demanding an end months later, thousands of Chicagoans ration for this fighting organization and to racist standardized testing schemes. shut down racist presidential candidate its allies. On April 1, 25,000 members of the Still more will be demanding an end to Donald Trump’s rally. In this context, the Workers World Party’s 2016 Presiden- Chicago Teachers Union alongside over charter schools, the privatization of ed- strike of the Chicago teachers promises tial Election Campaign, including pres- 50 community and union organizations ucation and the death grip of cutbacks, to be an important moment in a growing idential candidate (and former public will launch a massive strike against the which have destroyed public education. tide of people’s struggle. school teacher) Monica Moorehead and status quo, against the racist capitalist In the past few months, Chicago has By going on strike, the Chicago teach- vice presidential candidate Lamont Lil- ruling class of Chicago. been on fire with struggle. The rebellion ers and their allies show the power of ly, encourage all progressive people to This strike promises to spread the against the Chicago Police Department’s unity and solidarity as the main weapons build solidarity with the struggle in Chi- power of solidarity like wildfire across killing of Laquan McDonald, a student to fight back against endless austerity, cago by escalating the struggle against this country. Not only are Chicago at Sullivan House High School in Chica- mass incarceration, racist police bru- racism, austerity and injustice in their teachers fighting for working conditions go, was supported by the CTU. McDonald tality and union busting. We know this cities. and students’ learning conditions, they was a student with special needs, much social justice union model will spread to We fight for revolutionary socialism, a are fighting for all of the demands that like thousands of the people of color who cities across this country that are under system in which unions, community or- impact working-class and oppressed languish in the prisons across this country assault by Wall Street. ganizations and the people run society people. Strikers will be marching on the and never receive the mental health care The CTU is leading the way towards a for their own needs, not to serve the prof- Cook County Jail to demand an end to they need. better world, a world in which youth of it goals of billionaires and Wall Street. the school-to-prison pipeline. Strikers Chicago’s Black Lives Matter move- color, immigrants, Black people, LGBTQ We encourage you to learn more about will be marching with the Fight for $15 ment has rightfully called for the remov- people, and all working-class people are our campaign at WorkersWorldParty.org.

50 years ago How Wall Street protest opened door to organizing anti-war soldiers

1964 that was later exposed as faked of Workers World Party. They considered much the GIs had broken with military by the Pentagon, Johnson gained the ordinary soldiers and sailors — Air indoctrination. Congress’s authority to escalate U.S. Force, Coast Guard, Marines and Wom- In the article, Heinl wrote, “By ev- By John Catalinotto intervention in the war. Johnson planned en’s Army Corps members; and WAVES ery conceivable indicator, our army that April 12, 1966. Fifteen young women to increase the number of U.S. troops (Women Accepted for Volunteer Emer- now remains in Vietnam is in a state ap- and men slipped into the New York Stock there to 380,000 by year’s end and final- gency Service) — to be their class broth- proaching collapse, with individual units Exchange. They didn’t belong there. They ly to 540,000. ers and sisters. avoiding or having refused combat, mur- had no money to invest in stocks, nor did Toward the end of March 1966, there In April 1966, most of the YAWF mem- dering their officers and noncommis- they care if the market was down or up were peace marches in New York, Wash- bers could not imagine how quickly so sioned officers, drug-ridden, and dispir- that day. ington, Chicago, Philadelphia, Boston many GIs would break with their early an- ited where not near mutinous.” (Armed They had another purpose. They had and San Francisco, numbering at most ti-communist indoctrination and resist the Forces Journal, June 7, 1971) informed a few reporters that they were in the tens of thousands. Their dominant war machine. Nor did these youth realize By 1968, hundreds of Black troops planning something dramatic, asking the slogans were pacifist: “End the war,” “Ne- how soon they would begin to help orga- were refusing riot-control duty in U.S. reporters to keep the action secret. The gotiate Now.” nize the American Servicemen’s Union. cities. By 1970, whole units on active duty young people hoped to make their move The young people at the Stock Ex- repeatedly refused to go on offensive before police or guards could stop them. change had a clearer view of the war, Breaking the chain of command missions in Vietnam. Although a war was on and both Viet- shaped by the gut revulsion they felt Over the next nine years, hundreds If pushed too hard by their officers, namese and U.S. troops were dying, the when seeing photos of Vietnamese peas- of dissident, mainly anti-war newspa- sometimes one or more of the troops only weapons these youth carried were ants burned to death by napalm bombs pers were published by GI groups. Half a would kill the officer. This practice gave leaflets and banners. They were sending that Dow Chemical manufactured. They dozen were regularly published newspa- birth to a new verb, “to frag,” because a message. knew the Vietnamese were determined to pers with four to eight tabloid pages. The often the elimination of the officer was On the trading floor, hundreds of bro- fight until they won. They were also sym- most consistent was the newspaper of carried out by rolling a fragmentation kers were staring up at the Big Board pathetic to the rank-and-file U.S. troops the American Servicemen’s Union, “The grenade into his tent. In 1970, exactly 109 that showed up-to-date information on who were drafted or induced to enlist and Bond,” which was published monthly for fraggings occurred in Vietnam, accord- all the important stocks. The 15 young then sent to die so that the stockholders most of the period from 1967 to 1974. ing to Lt. Col. Heinl. people moved to the edge of the balcony of companies like Dow Chemical would Dozens of smaller sheets were pub- Within a year of the Stock Exchange that overlooked the arena of frantic trad- grow richer. lished by ASU chapters. They all reflected protest, many of the 15 young people had ing. On a signal, some threw leaflets 30 The slogan, “Big Firms Get Rich, GIs a widespread and heartfelt rebellion, as turned their ideology and attitude into feet down to the floor while three others Die,” reflected an ideology. The ideology did the many hundreds of other newspa- concrete acts of solidarity with the low- unfurled a banner right across the Big condemned the U.S. war against Viet- pers and newsletters. er ranks of the armed forces. They were Board. nam as a bosses’ war. It was fought for Even a voice from the Pentagon had to protagonists in this history of the strug- their profits. These were the profits of the admit that the GI resistance had become gle by GIs and their supporters to resist ‘Big Firms Get Rich, GIs Die’ military-industrial complex, but also the an enormous problem for the generals. A the war within their own organization — A sudden silence was followed by a col- profits of all the bankers and superrich little more than five years after that Wall the American Servicemen’s Union. lective howl from below as the brokers who wanted to keep exploiting workers Street demonstration, a provocative arti- This article is adapted from a chapter in read “Stop the War in Vietnam” and, in all over the world. cle entitled “The Collapse of the Armed Catalinotto’s forthcoming book, “Turn the bigger letters, “Big Firms Get Rich, GIs The GIs were working-class youth used Forces,” by military historian Marine Lt. Guns Around: Mutinies, Soldier Re­ volts Die.” as cannon fodder; that is, they were sent Col. Robert Debs Heinl, was to show how and Revolutions.” “GI” was the popular term for a low- to kill and die to expand the interests of er-ranking enlisted or conscripted person the rich. in the U.S. Armed Forces. Its use began The slogan’s delivery also expressed NATO intervenes in refugee crisis in the 1930s, apparently from the military an attitude: In your face. The Stock Ex- jargon referring to all sorts of equipment: change traders picked up on this attitude Continued from page 9 ty of abolishing Greece’s sea borders. “General Issue.” By 1966, some 200,000 and, taking no chances, they soon had a crises is the overthrow of the exploitative As long as the misery and suffering of these GIs, mostly from the Army and hard, transparent wall installed on the system that creates them. that U.S. and European interventions Marines, were in Vietnam fighting a war balcony to separate future visitors from The KKE sees NATO’s intervention create throughout the world intensify, the against the Vietnamese people. those trading in the blood money of the in the Aegean Sea as “using the refugee flow of refugees to what they see as “safe Lyndon Baines Johnson was presi- big firms. issue as a pretext” to prepare for other havens” will continue. Mass expulsions dent of the United States. Following a Implicit in the slogan was an approach interventions in the area, in Syria and in and the closure of borders will direct hu- supposed confrontation between North toward the GIs themselves. These young other countries, which “will sharpen the man migration into different directions Vietnamese patrol boats and U.S. de- protesters were active in Youth Against problem of the refugee flows.” It could — but besieged people will continue to stroyers in the Gulf of Tonkin in August War and Fascism, the youth organization also, says the KKE, open up the possibili- seek safety, as is their human right. workers.org April 14, 2016 Page 11 Global ACT UP protests hit Big Pharma

By Gerry Scoppettuolo ACT UP Boston marched on the Tufts Center for the Study of Drug Develop- In a highly organized act of interna- ment, which released a report in January tional solidarity, 25 groups led by ACT claiming that it costs drug companies UP (AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power) $2.9 billion to bring a new drug to mar- carried out marches and protests on ket. This is an increase from their 2001 April 1 against the drugs-for-profit in- estimate of $802 million per drug. (“The dustry, declaring with one loud voice, Truth About the Drug Companies,” Mar- “People before profits!” cia Angell, 2005) Tufts refused, then and Protesters marched and rallied in now, to disclose the names of the phar- Ahmedabad, India, and New York City; maceutical companies whose data was in Johannesburg, South Africa; and used in the report. Boston; in Paris; San Francisco; Brazil- ACT UP London marched on Gilead ia; Sydney; London; Paris; New Dehli; Pharmaceuticals, the leading produc- Tokyo; and Washington, D.C. (thebody. er of HIV/AIDS medications, including com, April 1) the most-prescribed HIV med, Atripla, Pfizer Pharmaceuticals was targeted as well as Truvada. Truvada costs 446 WW PHOTO: GERRY SCOPPETTUOLO by ACT UP New York, Health Global pounds per month ($634 per month in ACT UP Boston action, April 1. Access Project and others. Pfizer is re- U.S. dollars) — too expensive for use ing the profit system itself, going beyond ist crisis has caused more and more activ- locating to Ireland to take advantage of by the British National Health Service. the demands of decades ago to rush new ists to recognize that the drive for profits, lower corporate taxes there. Greed has (theguardian.com, April 1) In 2015, Gil- meds to market to save lives as soon as as part of capitalism’s inherent and sys- no borders for Pfizer, which earned a net ead earned an incredible $18 billion on possible. In recent years, the focus of lob- temic greed, must be dealt with directly income of $31 billion for the years 2014 sales of $32 billion — a profit rate of 56 by groups like AIDS United, Treatment as a class struggle. Reforms are totally and 2013 ($12 billion of which was paid to percent. (Gilead 2015 Earnings Report) Action Group, AIDS Action Council and inadequate to save lives when those that stockholders). Even this was insufficient Reaching a new level in the struggle, others has been to urge immediate gener- need medicines cannot afford them. for CEO Ian Reed, who described 2015 as ACT UP Paris, New York, London, Boston ic pricing or lower prices for particular Scoppettuolo is a member of ACT UP a “transformational year” in a report to and other members of this new interna- medicines. Boston and co-founder of ACT UP Nash- stockholders. (pfizer.com) tional coalition are increasingly target- However, the deepening of the capital- ville (1988-1992). African-American political power By Abayomi Azikiwe 4 vote, freeing nine states, mostly in the Editor, Pan-African News Wire South, to change their election laws with- out advance federal approval. ... At the and the elections The role of African Americans is pivot- core of the disagreement was whether al during the last two months of primaries racial minorities continued to face bar- play of militarization at all levels of law ton at a Boys and Girls Club by claiming and caucuses in approximately 20 states. riers to voting in states with a history of enforcement, which have been supplied that the former New York senator and Both candidates for the Democratic discrimination.” (June 25, 2013) by the federal government with auto- first lady had helped African-American nomination, former Secretary of State Representing the majority in the deci- matic weapons, armored vehicles, tanks, youth in South Carolina while working Hillary Clinton and Sen. Bernie Sanders, sion, conservative Justice John G. Rob- chemicals, batons and sound devices de- for the Children’s Defense Fund. (WPR. have made special appeals to win over erts wrote, “Our country has changed. signed to repress and disperse crowds. org, March 31) the African-American electorate. While any racial discrimination in voting Shifting political attitudes in 2016 Need for independent political action This process goes back at least to 1960, is too much, Congress must ensure that when a re-emergent Black electorate the legislation it passes to remedy that New polls indicate that the Sanders What do African Americans have to swung its support to Democratic candi- problem speaks to current conditions.” campaign has gained significant support gain from their continued support for date Sen. John F. Kennedy in a signifi- Laws instituted by various states to en- in the African-American community in centrist Democratic candidates, in light cant move that landed him in the White hance barriers to ballot access were vin- the Midwest and West Coast. One recent of the history of the 1990s under Clin- House. Nonetheless, numerous militants dicated by the ruling. In the same New poll indicated that within a period of ton and the last eight years of the Obama from the period, such as Malcolm X and York Times article, authorities in Texas two months, Sanders now leads Clinton administration? Joblessness, poverty, Stokely Carmichael, criticized the Kenne- “announced shortly after the decision among African-American voters in Wis- mass incarceration, police terrorism and dy administration for its failure to protect that a voter identification law that had consin prior to the April 5 primary. entrenched institutional racism remain Civil Rights workers as well as its failure been blocked would go into effect imme- A March 31 Huffington Post arti- structural barriers to socio-economic ad- to navigate legislation through Congress diately, and that redistricting maps there cle notes, “On February 27th, Hillary vancement and political empowerment. to protect the social and political rights of would no longer need federal approval.” Clinton led Bernie Sanders among Af- The apparent shift in outlook toward nationally oppressed African Americans. These and other measures, such as the rican-American voters by 52 points. By the Sanders campaign illustrates the dis- On Aug. 6, 1965, the Voting Rights denial of ballot access for those having March 26th, she led Sanders among Af- content among numerous Democratic Act was signed into law by President criminal records, disqualifies approxi- rican-Americans by just nine points. And Party constituencies, of which African Lyndon B. Johnson. The bill was the mately 25 percent of African-American today, Public Policy Polling, a widely re- Americans are an indispensable group- product of the escalating struggle of the voters in Florida. Overall, some 1.3 mil- spected polling organization, released a ing. Clinton’s reliance on elected officials African-American people during the lion people in this Southern state were poll showing that Sanders leads Clinton and party organizational structures has mid-1960s to demand full equality and missing on voter rolls at the time of the among African-American voters in Wis- not been nearly enough to sustain a series the right to self-determination. primary elections on March 15. consin by 11 points.” of victories in the South and other areas The poll suggests that “in short, the during the early phase of the campaign. Voting Rights restrictions reinstituted Mass struggle escalates in response to Clinton campaign is in the midst of an Questions are being raised in the elec- by Supreme Court right-wing offensive historic collapse — much of it due to the torate over the role of the “superdelegate” Nearly five decades later, on June 25, No concrete measures were ever ini- unraveling of support for Clinton among process, in which committed forces, 2013, the U.S. Supreme Court struck tiated to address these concerns under nonwhite voters — and the national me- most representing party bosses, main- down the enforcement provisions of the the administration of President Barack dia has yet to take any notice.” Primary tain the capacity to override electoral Voting Rights Act by a 5-4 ruling in the Obama. The elections in 2010, 2012 and elections in the next few weeks will prove losses suffered by Clinton in several key case of Shelby County [Ala.] v. Holder. 2014 witnessed the transformation of the or disprove these assertions. states, including Michigan, Alaska, Ha- This decision eviscerated the authority of Democrats from a majority to a minority This trend was illustrated in Michigan waii and New Hampshire. This will be- the Justice Department to monitor and in Congress. during early March and was reflected in come a critical debate in light of several intervene when issues related to ballot The absence of an effective political the questionably close margins of victo- polls that show Sanders running a much access and legislative representation are alternative both within and outside of ry by Clinton in Illinois and Missouri, stronger campaign against Republican involved. Recently deceased Supreme Congress resulted in the deepening of a along with the overall lack of enthusiasm frontrunner Donald Trump in the gener- Court Justice Antonin Scalia remarked right-wing political agenda that has en- for the former secretary of state’s second al elections in November. at the time that such a bill in the modern hanced the capacity of the capitalist class presidential campaign. These shifts in political views must lead period represented some form of “racial to dominate the workers and oppressed At any rate there is a degree of despera- toward greater political independence privilege” for African Americans. This generally. State repression by the police tion in the Clinton campaign particularly during the primary process, the national statement was made at a time when the and intelligence agencies reinforces the in reference to the outcome of the Wiscon- elections and beyond. Ultimately, Afri- Great Recession had devastated African system of exploitation with impunity. sin primary. Clinton held campaign rallies can Americans, the nationally oppressed Americans in the areas of home foreclo- Nearly all the mass demonstrations in African-American neighborhoods in from other communities and the working sures, job losses, declining income and and rebellions since 2012 have been in Milwaukee during the last week of March. class in general must break with the Dem- household wealth. response to the cop and vigilante kill- In two major events, U.S. Rep. Gwen ocratic Party to establish their own orga- A New York Times article said the rul- ings of African Americans and Latinos/ Moore, Wisconsin’s sole African-Ameri- nization that will speak in their name and ing “effectively struck down the heart of as. These protests and acts of property can member of the House, stood next to fight for a program of total liberation and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 by a 5-to- destruction have prompted the stark dis- Clinton on stage. Moore welcomed Clin- genuine socialist construction. 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. 58 Núm. 14 14 de abril 2016 $1 Dos caras de la campaña Sanders

Por Fred Goldstein grandes cantidades de riqueza. OWS se demasiados millonarios y multimillonari- para inscribirse existen requisitos oneros- dedicó a la acción directa. os y no acepta su dinero. Así que para los os de petición. Las campañas son extrema- La campaña de Bernie Sanders tiene un Las asambleas se extendieron ráp- magnates de los medios, la política viene damente caras, lo cual ha facilitado que los doble carácter. Por un lado, ha desenterra- idamente a muchas ciudades de EUA, después de los índices. ricos controlen totalmente el proceso de do y dado voz a la oposición generalizada mostrando que OWS tenía millones de Las redes son corporaciones multi- elección — incluso antes de la decisión “Ci- contra Wall Street y la masiva injusticia y simpatizantes pasivas/os. Incluso la pren- millonarias. Se sienten bien publicando a udadanos Unidos” por el Tribunal Supre- desigualdad económica. Pero por el otro, sa corporativa tuvo que fingir simpatía por Trump. Pero entre Sanders y Clinton, to- mo que eliminó el límite de donación. Sanders corre bajo el Partido Demócrata, un tiempo, hasta que la policía sistemática- das ellas están con Clinton. “Fairness and Solo en raras ocasiones puede una cam- que por generaciones ha sido y es contro- mente expulsó las asambleas de las calles Accuracy in Reporting” escribió el 20 de paña primaria presidencial ser utilizada lada por los mismos oligarcas financieros con brutalidad y arrestos. El desarrollo de marzo que el Washington Post publicó 16 para expresar la oposición de las masas. contra los cuales las/os partidarios de este movimiento, y sobre todo su amplio artículos negativos sobre Sanders en 16 Esto pasó en 1968 cuando el senador Eu- Sanders se están rebelando. apoyo, tomó a la clase dominante total- horas. El Post es propiedad de Jeff Bezos, gene McCarthy abrió una campaña contra La respuesta masiva a los llamados de mente por sorpresa. Desde el punto de vis- cuya fortuna de Amazon.com está valora- la odiada guerra de Vietnam. Sucedió de Sanders de dividir los bancos y hacer que ta sesgado en sus salas de juntas y hacien- da en $50 mil millones. nuevo en 1984 cuando Jesse Jackson em- los ricos paguen por la educación univer- das, los gobernantes siempre subestiman El New York Times ha marginado la prendió una campaña contra el reaganis- sitaria, la atención de salud universal, el la ira del pueblo. campaña Sanders a tal punto que sus pro- mo, la austeridad y el racismo. aumento del salario mínimo y así suce- Y así como subestimaron al OWS, así pias/os lectores se rebelaron y el editor pú- Ahora ha ocurrido con Sanders. Sin em- sivamente, es totalmente comprensible. también subestimaron el odio por Wall blico del Times tuvo que reprender públi- bargo, las/os progresistas y revolucionarios Después de décadas de austeridad, retiro Street y la gran desigualdad que ha dejado camente a la administración. no deben pasar por alto el lado negativo de de subsidios, rompimiento de sindicatos, a toda una generación sin un futuro. Las El Informe Tyndall, que escruta la co- Sanders y el señuelo engañoso del Partido racismo y encarcelamiento masivo, no condiciones económicas y sociales han em- bertura mediática de la campaña, informó Demócrata. Sanders todavía no ha acogido es de extrañar que las reclamaciones de peorado desde el 2011. que en 2015 Clinton recibió 121 minutos de plenamente el movimiento las Vidas Ne- Sanders hayan caído como lluvia sobre La campaña Sanders es, en cierto modo, cobertura (excluyendo las audiencias sobre gras Importan y la lucha contra el racismo hierba seca. una continuación de OWS en forma elector- sus emails) y Sanders recibió 20 minutos. y la brutalidad policial. Él todavía no ha Pero a la larga, el camino para hacer al. En ello radica el atractivo de Sanders y es Los medios quieren ocultar el impor- denunciado el mar de trillones de dólares frente a los bancos, los multimillonarios y la base de su inesperado éxito electoral. tante apoyo sindical para Sanders. Las/ de gasto militar que quita el dinero de los la corrupción, no se encuentra a través de os Trabajadores de la Comunicación, la servicios sociales. Ha sido ambivalente so- la política electoral y el Partido Demócra- En contra de la máquina Asociación Nacional de Enfermeras, las/ bre Cuba, defendiendo sus logros sociales ta. Se encuentra a través de la movilización Para el 20 de marzo, Sanders había acu- os Trabajadores de Correos y más de 40 en un momento y al otro diciendo que es de masas y la lucha independiente. Las/os mulado más de 6 millones de votos, sin sindicatos locales le han apoyado. Todos una dictadura. Él es partidario de Israel y seguidores de Sanders eventualmente van contar los estados caucus de Iowa y Ne- los sindicatos que avalaron Sanders pre- tiene muchas otras contradicciones. a tener que enfrentarse a esta dura verdad. vada. Incluso entonces, sus votos apenas guntaron a sus miembros de base. Además, todos los verdaderos avances Dicho esto, cualquiera que sea el re- reflejaban la popularidad de su mensaje Los sindicatos que avalaron a Clinton, de las masas no han venido a través de las sultado final de las primarias del Partido anti-banquero y anti-multimillonario. Ha lo hicieron por vía ejecutiva, sin consultar elecciones sino a través de la lucha. Los Demócrata, en la actualidad es innegable recaudado $140 millones en repetidas con- a las bases. Pero debido al fuerte apoyo en derechos sindicales, el seguro social y los que la campaña de Bernie Sanders ha dado tribuciones pequeñas de una base récord las bases sindicales para Sanders, la direc- beneficios sociales fueron ganados en los expresión a la ira acumulada contra Wall de 2 millones de contribuyentes, más 4 ción de la AFL-CIO no ha podido respaldar años 1930 con marchas, huelgas genera- Street y la maquinaria política del Partido millones en donaciones individuales. a Clinton. les y huelgas de brazos caídos. Los dere- Demócrata. Hillary Rodham Clinton, ami- Sin embargo, no todas/os sus seguidores chos civiles fueron ganados a través de la ga de Wall Street, halcón pro-Pentágono y pueden votar en las primarias por una Billonarios y banqueros temen Sanders lucha de millones de afroamericanas/os y política tremendamente oportunista, rep- variedad de razones - obstructivas califi- Los banqueros, financieros y jefes de blancas/os progresistas que se enfrentaron resenta dicho establecimiento. caciones de votantes, límites de edad, con- grandes empresas quieren enterrar a a la policía. Medidas contra la pobreza Cuando Sanders comenzó su campaña flicto con la escuela, etc. Para cuando ter- Sanders. Lloyd Blankfein, CEO de Gold- fueron ganadas por rebeliones en ciudades denunciando no sólo a Wall Street, sino mine la campaña, Sanders probablemente man Sachs, es tal vez el banquero más de todo el país. Los derechos de la mujer a la cúpula de los monopolios corporati- ganará millones más de votos. poderoso e influyente en EUA. Sanders lo fueron ganados con marchas y protestas. vos, fue considerado como un candidato Su amplio apoyo es considerable, ya que señaló por su codicia y su culpa en la cri- La lucha por los derechos de gays, lesbi- de poca envergadura, quien en el mejor la campaña va contra dos de las maquinar- sis financiera. Blankfein respondió el 3 de anas, bisexuales y transgéneros comenzó de los casos seria una mera novedad en la ias políticas más poderosas de la política marzo en la CNBC, diciendo de la campaña con la Rebelión de Stonewall. La cruel campaña. capitalista, la de Clinton y la del presidente de Sanders que “Tiene el potencial de ser legislación anti-inmigrante fue derrotada Como senador de un pequeño estado Barack Obama que se han combinado para un momento peligroso, no sólo para Wall por la histórica huelga de millones de in- rural y quien se autodenomina socialista bloquearlo en todos los sentidos posible. Street, no sólo para las personas a las que migrantes el 1º de mayo de 2006. democrático, él estuvo fuera del club de Estas maquinarias están profundamente señala, pero para cualquiera que está un senadores millonarios y se esperaba que arraigadas a nivel nacional y han existido poco fuera de línea”. Reformas son siempre reflejo fuera un candidato marginal en las prima- desde hace años. ¿A quiénes se refería Blankfein? Son los de lucha anterior rias demócratas. La campaña presidencial de Hillary Clin- 18 principales criminales corporativos que Sobre todo, mientras la auto descrip- Pero en solo semanas después de que ton ha estado activa desde 2007. Después Sanders citó por evasión masiva de im- ción de Sanders como socialista demócrata anunció su candidatura y comenzó su de que perdió a Obama en 2008, reanudó puestos, cómplices de la crisis económica haya legitimado el término socialismo, él campaña, los medios de comunicación su campaña en silencio durante su admin- de 2008. Incluyen a Brian Moynihan, CEO es de hecho, un reformador liberal del capi- capitalistas comenzaron a notar que esta- istración. Ella había sido senadora de Nue- de Bank of America, el banco que recibió talismo. Quiere hacer que el sistema de ex- ba atrayendo enormes multitudes en los va York, el hogar de Wall Street, y luego se $1,3 mil millones de dólares en el rescate plotación capitalista sea más humano. El o campus universitarios, en las ciudades, en convirtió en secretaria de estado, donde del gobierno; Blankfein, de Goldman, la verdadera socialista se pone en pie en la las zonas rurales, donde quiera que iba. Su trabajó estrechamente con el Pentágono. que recibió $824 millones de dólares del plataforma de abolir el capitalismo. público oscilaba desde unos miles hasta Sanders comenzó sin ningún tipo de plan de rescate del Tesoro; James Dimon Romper los bancos no es suficiente. No 28.000 en un mitin en Oregón. organización que podría ni remotamente de JPMorganChase, que recibió $416 mil es suficiente frenar la avaricia corporativa. La gran popularidad de la campaña parecerse a la maquinaria de Clinton. millones en un rescate; Boeing; GE; y así Mientras que los bancos y las corporaciones Sanders, especialmente, pero no exclusiv- sucesivamente. tengan el control de la economía, tienen amente entre jóvenes blancas/os, traba- Parcialidad de medios corporativos Sanders enumera todos los puestos de decenas de miles de hilos por los cuáles jadoras/es y mujeres jóvenes, sorprendió a Sanders también enfrenta a los medios trabajo que las corporaciones trasladaron al pueden controlar el gobierno, el estado, el los medios capitalistas y al establecimiento de comunicación capitalistas. Los medi- exterior, los miles de millones en impuestos tesoro y la vida económica del país. político. os están utilizando a Donald Trump para que hubieran tenido que pagar si no fuera El verdadero socialismo busca abolir por Cabe señalar que Sanders ya ha ampliado aumentar sus índices de audiencias y acu- por los paraísos fiscales en el exterior y el completo el sistema de la esclavitud del sal- su atractivo a las/os afroamericanos y lati- mular ganancias. El 29 de febrero, el Hol- hecho de que muchos de ellos pagaron cero ario y colocar la economía en manos de las/ nas/os, con un número de prominentes lí- lywood Reporter citó al gerente general de impuestos. (Trueactivist.com) os trabajadores y oprimidos. La economía deres de los derechos civiles, figuras políti- Les Moonves de CBS sobre Trump y el “cir- Estas decisiones administrativas deben debe ser manejada de manera planificada cas y artistas haciendo campaña por él. co” republicano: “Puede que no sea bueno ser a lo que Blankfein se refería al decir “un para el beneficio del pueblo y no para ga- para EUA, pero es muy bueno para la CBS”. poco fuera de línea”. nancias de ninguna clase. Esa es la forma Occupy Wall Street en las urnas Moonves continuó: “Está entrando dine- de acabar con la desigualdad de ingresos, El mensaje de Sanders tiene un gran ro y esto es divertido. Nunca he visto nada Elecciones capitalistas y lucha de masas la injusticia, y toda clase de opresión. parecido al que Occupy Wall Street abogó. igual, y va a ser un año muy bueno para Las reglas de la política electoral capital- Hay una manera de registrar el apoyo En septiembre del 2011, OWS tomó el nosotros. Lo siento. Es una cosa terrible de ista en EUA son extremadamente restric- para el socialismo revolucionario sin apo- Parque Zuccotti en Manhattan, estableci- decir. Pero, sigue, Donald. Sigue adelante”. tivas, incluso comparándolas con otros yar al sistema de dos partidos capitalistas. endo una asamblea general en las calles y A Moonves casi no le importaría tener países capitalistas. El ganador se lleva Voten para Monica Moorehead para presi- denunció la enorme desigualdad en EUA. a millones de televidentes que probable- todo, lo que descarta la representación denta y Lamont Lilly para vice presidente Este movimiento puso la consigna “So- mente verían a Sanders diariamente como proporcional. Para cualquiera que no sea en la lista electoral del Partido Workers mos el 99%”. Se opuso al 1% que controla Trump se ve. Pero Sanders ha atacado a del Partido Demócrata o Republicano, solo World/Mundo Obrero.