June 3, 2019, Vol. 61, No. 23
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Workers and oppressed peoples of the world unite! workers.org Vol. 61 No. 23 June 6, 2019 $1 HONDURAS General strike hits gov’t ‘reforms’ Massive protests against privatization in Tegucigalpa, the capital of Honduras, including burning tires in front of the U.S. Embassy in late May. By Sam Ordóñez It is not known who initiated this fire, and PRIDE MEANS reactions of progressive groups have been var- June 3 — A national strike began in ied. Some claim that the action is justified, due 4, 6 Honduras on May 30 protesting a series of to the recent interference of U.S. imperialism FIGHT BACK! reforms announced by the government. The in the country. For his part, former President strike was called in response a series of decrees Manuel Zelaya described the facts as false signed by the president on May 28 aimed at positives. restructuring the health and education sectors. The teachers' and doctors' organizations The demonstrations, which continued into have said the strike will continue with demon- the next day, suffered brutal police repres- strations planned for June 3 and 4. sion. It is a scenario repeatedly seen during the administration of President Juan Orlando From the 2009 coup d'état Hernandez (JOH). to JOH's dictatorship According to the teachers and doctors who Manuel Zelaya was president from 2006 to called the strike, the restructuring would lead 2009 when he was the victim of a coup d'état to massive layoffs and privatize these essential after proposing a referendum to measure pub- sectors. lic interest in a constitutional reform. In 2010, central government spending on Although the army, which kidnapped Zelaya education was 32.9 percent of the total budget; and sent him to Costa Rica on June 28, 2009, today it is only 19.9 percent. In public health, argued that Zelaya was unconstitutionally the figures were 14.3 percent in 2010 and are seeking a second term, the real reason for the 9.7 percent today. (Prensa Latina, May 31) coup was the progressive foreign policy of the Despite strong police repression of demon- Zelaya government. strators, the president was forced to declare In 2008, Zelaya had expressed a desire to WW PHOTO: SOFIA ADAMS that there would be neither mass layoffs nor join the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of LGBTQ solidarity at Queens, N.Y., Pride with Roxana privatization, and the presidential decrees Our America (ALBA), a regional organization Hernandez, a Honduran trans migrant, murdered by ICE. were not ratified by the National Congress promoted by the governments of Venezuela of the Republic. However, organizers of the and Cuba to combat the influence of U.S. actions have indicated they will continue imperialism. protesting until the reforms are completely This represented an unacceptable step for discarded. the Honduran oligarchy, which had already In addition to demonstrators injured by opposed the progressive government. When Al-Quds Day for Palestine 2, 11 Honduran police, several government and they found the opportunity, these sectors used police buildings are reported burned. It is their control of the media to fabricate a consti- also reported that a group burned tires at the tutional crisis and carry out a coup. Klan shut down in Ohio 3 entrance of the U.S. Embassy in Tegucigalpa. Continued on page 9 Utah workers organize union 4 'Shock and awe' war on migrants 5 Subscribe to Workers World ☐ 4 weeks trial $4 ☐ 1 year subscription $30 Unite to fight abortion bans 7 ☐ Sign me up for the WWP Supporter Program: workers.org/donate Editorial Water is not a felony! 10 Name _______________________________________________________________ Email _______________________________ Phone _________________________ Street _______________________________________________________________ City / State / Zip _______________________________________________________ Venezuela 9,11 Niger 10 Workers World Weekly Newspaper workers.org 10 147 W. 24th St., 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10011 212.627.2994 Solidarity with Yemen Page 2 June 6, 2019 workers.org NEW YORK Solidarity with Palestine on Al-Quds this week Hundreds rallied in New York City’s Times Square ◆ In the U.S. May 31 to mark International Day of Al-Quds, Arabic for Solidarity with Palestine on Al-Quds . .2 Jerusalem. Launched in 1979 as one of the first official acts of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Quds Day is held interna- Palestine and the U.S. 2 tionally on the last Friday of the Muslim holy month of Janet and Janine Africa: Historic press conference . 3 Ramadan to support Palestinians resisting Israeli occupa- Dayton, Ohio: Anti-racists drown out the Klan.....3 tion. This year millions joined demonstrations through- Anti-fascists defend Rep. Ilhan Omar.............3 out Iran, across Iraq, Lebanon, Pakistan, Syria, Yemen and around the world. Court allows racist gerrymandering in Ohio, Mich..4 Government forces attacked protests in Bahrain Utah: Theater workers organize a union ..........4 and Nigeria, while Israeli troops fired on thousands of Boots Riley: 'I'm inspired by you'.................4 Palestinians gathered for the Great March of Return at Boston: 'No walls in the LGBTQ2S struggle' .......5 Israel's barrier around the besieged Gaza Strip. "We have no doubt that the ultimate victory will be for the righteous 'Shock and awe' war on migrants, prisoners .......5 and Palestine and that the land of Palestine will be a safe Activists close down Atlanta Detention Center .....5 place for Muslims, Christians and Jews," Iranian President Stonewall Rebellion: Crowd rage ignites . 6 Hassan Rouhani said at a Tehran rally. Pride marches in Buffalo, Cleveland, New York ....6 — Report by Joe Catron New York City, May 31. WW PHOTO: TONI ARENSTEIN Unite and fight against abortion bans............. 7 Boston: Pro-choice forces defy right wing . 7 ABCs of capitalist crisis .........................8 Palestine and the U.S.: Two sides of the same struggle WV educators refuse to back down, once again ...10 This slightly edited by the U.S. war machine. From the constant selling of mil- Al-Quds Day: Solidarity with Palestine............11 greeting was given by itary weapons to Israel by the U.S. to the renowned coun- ◆ Around the world Siddika Degia, an orga- terterrorism exchange program provided by Israel to U.S. nizer with the NYC cops, the issue here is one of imperialism and the control Honduras: General strike hits gov't 'reforms' ...... 1 Peoples Power Assembly, of Black and Brown bodies. Chavismo trains leaders to defend Caracas ........9 at the Al-Quds rally in The renowned counterterrorism exchange program Solidarity stops weapons to Saudi Arabia ........10 New York on May 31. is one where pro-Israel organizations like the American Israel Public Affairs committee send cops to Israel where Niger: Students demand U.S., French bases close . 10 From Brooklyn to the cops learn the benefits of tear gas to break up pro- Venezeulan right wing negotiates in Oslo .........11 Palestine, killing people is testers and learn about the surveillance of neighborhoods. a crime. All tactics are used here in the U.S., like the famous New ◆ Editorial The constant killing York Police Department’s Muslim Surveillance Program. When a drink of water becomes a felony .........10 of Black and Brown bod- In return, the Israeli military learns about drug war tactics ies by cops in the U.S. cops use here in Black and Brown communities. ◆ Noticias en Español and the occupation of What both the U.S. and Israel forget is that people in Honduras: Inicia paro nacional contra reformas .. 12 WW PHOTO: TONI ARENSTEIN Palestine are not two sep- both Palestine and the U.S. will keep rising up and will Editorial: ‘Liberal’ – hasta a un punto ........... 12 Siddika Degia arate issues. They are in continue standing in solidarity with each other because, fact one issue perpetrated as we all know, the people united will never be defeated. ☐ Workers World 147 W. 24th St., 2nd Fl. New York, NY 10011 Join us in the fight Phone: 212.627.2994 E-mail: [email protected] for socialism! Web: www.workers.org Vol. 61, No. 23 • June 6, 2019 Workers World Party is a revolutionary Marxist-Leninist people are gunned down by cops and bigots on a regular Closing date: June 5, 2019 party inside the belly of the imperialist beast. We are a basis. multinational, multigenerational and multigendered orga- The ruthless ruling class today seeks to wipe out Editor: Deirdre Griswold nization that not only aims to abolish capitalism, but to decades of gains and benefits won by hard-fought strug- Managing Editors: John Catalinotto, LeiLani Dowell, build a socialist society because it’s the only way forward! gles by people’s movements. The super-rich and their Martha Grevatt, Monica Moorehead, Minnie Bruce Capitalism and imperialism threaten the peoples of the political representatives have intensified their attacks on Pratt world and the planet itself in the neverending quest for the multinational, multigender and multigenerational Web Editors: Ben Carroll, John Steffin ever-greater profits. working class. It is time to point the blame at—and chal- Capitalism means war and austerity, racism and repres- lenge—the capitalist system. Production & Design Editors: Gery Armsby, Sasha sion, attacks on im/migrants, misogyny, LGBTQ oppres- WWP fights for socialism because the working class Mazumder, Scott Williams sion and mistreatment of people with disabilities. It means produces all wealth in society, and this wealth should Copyediting and Proofreading: Paddy Colligan, joblessness, increasing homelessness and impoverishment remain in their hands, not be stolen in the form of capi- Sue Davis, S. Hedgecoke and lack of hope for the future. No social problems can be talist profits. The wealth workers create should be socially Contributing Editors: G. Dunkel, K. Durkin, Fred solved under capitalism. owned and its distribution planned to satisfy and guaran- Goldstein, Teresa Gutierrez, Betsey Piette, Gloria Rubac The U.S.