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Pro-Palestine Solidarity Blocks Israeli Ship Proyecto 1619 12 Cultura de la intoxicación 12 Workers and oppressed peoples of the world unite! workers.org Vol. 63, No. 23 June 10, 2021 $1 Pro-Palestine solidarity blocks Israeli ship By Judy Greenspan in ILWU Local 10, achieved this great Oakland, Calif. #BlockTheBoat victory against ZIM in Oakland. We call upon all dockworkers June 6— For the seventh year in a worldwide to intensify the boycott cam- row, Israeli-owned ships have not been paign against ZIM ships and all business allowed to unload in the Port of Oakland. profiting from apartheid.” On June 4, thousands of supporters of the In the statement, President of ILWU Palestinian struggle conducted six simul- Local 10 Trent Willis emphasized: taneous picket lines during two work “Workers’ struggle is worldwide. … When shifts to “Block the Boat.” Members of the the workers of the world figure that out International Longshore and Warehouse and realize that we have to band together Union Local 10 honored the picket lines, to make change, then it’ll be a better refusing to work the ship. world, including for the Palestinian peo- In a tremendous victory of worker and ple. Worker power, economic power, is community solidarity, the Israeli ZIM- real power— it’s more powerful than operated ship was forced to leave the those bombs Israel is dropping.” port at 6 p.m.— with all of its cargo still The Oakland Block the Boat protest was on board. part of an international week of actions to The day of action began when hun- ‘Block the Boat’ action at Port of Oakland, June 4. WW PHOTO: JUDY GREENSPAN prevent the docking and unloading of any dreds of demonstrators assembled at 5:00 ship carrying Israeli goods or owned by a.m. to prevent workers from entering the before the official start of the second shift asking workers around the world to sup- Israel. According to the AROC statement, berth where the Israeli-owned ZIM ship in the evening— a strong measure of the port Palestine by refusing to handle any “Oakland and the broader Bay Area have had docked. Picketers fanned out to six success and strength of the Block the Boat Israeli goods or cargo. once again achieved a historic Boycott, entrances used by the dock workers. action. In a June 6 statement issued by AROC, Divest and Sanctions Movement (BDS) Members of ILWU Local 10 and other The solidarity action was organized Elias Al-Jelda of the Executive Committee victory for Palestine.” union members stood around in groups, by the Arab Resource and Organizing of the Palestine General Federation of On the East Coast hundreds of people refusing to cross the picket line and Center and supported by many progres- Trade Unions in Gaza stated: “It warms from the #BlockTheBoat coalition held a talking to protesters. Truckers driving sive groups in the Bay Area. According our hearts in the besieged occupied Gaza first-ever pro-Palestine action June 6 at through the Port of Oakland sounded to AROC, the blockade of the boat was Strip and the rest of occupied Palestine the Port of New York and New Jersey, their horns in solidarity with the protest. in direct response to an international that our comrades led by AROC, and against a ZIM ship docking in Elizabeth, The Israeli ship actually left the harbor call sent out by Palestinian labor unions with the solidarity of our fellow workers N.J. ☐ June 13 Honoring Ramsey Clark 3 Puerto Rican unions: ‘No LUMA!’ 3 Economic recovery? 3 Trans youth targeted 5 WW GRAPHIC: MIRINDA CRISSMAN On the picket line 4 Cops out of Pride 11 Arizona: Nazi death-camp gas Editorial Are pro athletes ‘Smart’ communication for profit exploited workers? 10 Solitary torture chambers Disability solidarity Mumia on abolition with Naomi Osaka 10 Shaka Sankofa’s last words 6-7 Defend Syria 8 Delegation demands ‘Free Alex Saab!’ 9 Palestine resists 11 Page 2 June 10, 2021 workers.org Support a Marxist voice for LGBTQ2S+ rights this week ◆ In the U.S. For over half a century, Workers World newspaper has donation of at least $75 a year— or $100, or $300 or covered the global struggle to end all forms of discrim- more if you can— receive a year’s subscription to WW; a Pro-Palestine solidarity blocks Israeli ship.......1 ination, persecution and violence against lesbian, gay, regular letter about timely issues; and one, two or three Honoring Ramsey Clark ......................3 bisexual, transgender, queer and gender-nonconform- subscriptions, respectively, to give to friends. Members Shambling recovery – COVID economic crisis....3 ing communities. can receive a copy of the book: “What Road to Socialism?” On the picket line............................4 WW has consistently backed up our activist cover- upon request. (Or read it at workers.org/books) age with analysis. In the early 1970s, WW ran a series of New articles are posted daily at workers.org. Currently, Trans youth attacked by legislative hate bills .....5 articles that led to publication of “The Gay Question: A one issue a month is being printed and mailed to sub- Arizona: Nazi death-camp gas in executions . ..6 Marxist Appraisal” in 1976. Then in 1993, WW published scribers. As soon as it’s possible, the newspaper will Smart Communications – prison profiteer.......6 “The Roots of Lesbian and Gay Oppression: A Marxist resume more frequent printing and mailing. Solitary confinement ‘torture chambers’.........6 View,” with the first book’s original text and a new pref- Write monthly or annual checks to Workers World ace and afterword. (Read it at workers.org/books.) and mail them, with your name and address, to Workers The 'new abolitionists'........................7 In 2004 WW managing editor and globally recognized World, 147 W. 24th St., 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10011. Last words of Shaka Sankofa ..................7 transgender leader Leslie Feinberg began the “Lavender Or sign up at workers.org to donate each month. A disability rights statement for Naomi Osaka...10 & Red” series, which ran until 2008 in WW. A group of 25 We’re grateful for your help in building Workers Seattle: Cops out of Pride! ...................11 articles from that series was later published as the book, World! ☐ “Rainbow Solidarity in Defense ◆ Around the world of Cuba.” In 2012 Feinberg per- formed civil disobedience and Puerto Rico: 'No peace' if energy privatized ......3 wrote articles defending Black Anti-imperialist defense of Syria .............. 8 trans woman CeCe McDonald, The fight to win Alex Saab's freedom............9 who was charged with man- In Palestine, police – and resistance ..........11 slaughter after defending her- self from a racist, bigoted attack. ◆ Editorial WW helps to build mass struggles, like what’s been going Are pro athletes exploited workers? ...........10 on in the streets from coast to coast. This righteous outpour- ◆ Noticias en Español ing of rage and protest over the La cultura de la intoxicación..................12 racist cop murder of George Floyd came as the COVID- Proyecto 1619: Educadores progresistas ........12 19 pandemic disproportion- ately impacted Black, Latinx and Indigenous peoples and immigrants. Please help us get out the word. Join the Workers World Supporter Program. For a Pride, New York City, 2019. WW PHOTO: BRENDA RYAN Workers World 147 W. 24th St., 2nd Fl. Join us in the fight New York, NY 10011 Phone: 212.627.2994 for socialism! E-mail: [email protected] Web: www.workers.org Workers World Party is a revolutionary Marxist-Leninist and trans people are gunned down by cops and bigots on Vol. 63, No. 23 • June 10, 2021 party inside the belly of the imperialist beast. We are a mul- a regular basis. Closing date: June 9, 2021 tinational, multigenerational and multigendered organiza- The ruthless ruling class today seeks to wipe out tion that not only aims to abolish capitalism, but to build a decades of gains and benefits won by hard-fought strug- Editors: John Catalinotto, Martha Grevatt, Deirdre socialist society because it’s the only way forward! gles by people’s movements. The super-rich and their Griswold, Monica Moorehead, Betsey Piette, Capitalism and imperialism threaten the peoples of the political representatives have intensified their attacks on Minnie Bruce Pratt world and the planet itself in the neverending quest for the multinational, multigender and multigenerational Web Editors: ABear, Harvey Markowitz, Janet Mayes ever-greater profits. working class. It is time to point the blame at— and chal- Prisoners Page Editors: Mirinda Crissman, Ted Kelly Capitalism means war and austerity, racism and repres- lenge— the capitalist system. sion, attacks on im/migrants, misogyny, LGBTQ2S+ WWP fights for socialism because the working class Production & Design Editors: Gery Armsby, Mirinda oppression and mistreatment of people with disabili- produces all wealth in society, and this wealth should Crissman, Ted Kelly, Sasha Mazumder, Scott Williams ties. It means joblessness, increasing homelessness and remain in their hands, not be stolen in the form of capi- Copyediting and Proofreading: Paddy Colligan, impoverishment and lack of hope for the future. No social talist profits. The wealth workers create should be socially S. Hedgecoke problems can be solved under capitalism. owned and its distribution planned to satisfy and guaran- Contributing Editors: LeiLani Dowell, G. Dunkel, The U.S. is the richest country in the world, yet no one tee basic human needs. K. Durkin, Sara Flounders, Teresa Gutierrez, Joshua has a guaranteed right to shelter, food, water, health care, Since 1959, Workers World Party has been out in the Hanks, Makasi Motema, Gloria Rubac education or anything else— unless they can pay for it. streets defending the workers and oppressed here and Wages are lower than ever, and youth are saddled with worldwide.
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