Venezuela, OAS y EUA 12

Workers and oppressed peoples of the world unite! workers.org Vol. 59, No. 26 June 29, 2017 $1 ‘Anti-Zionist, not anti-Semitic’ Chicago Dyke March opposes ‘pinkwashing’

By Workers World Chicago bureau at least one of these individuals is a interest groups. A Wider Bridge has (tarabnyc.org/cancelpinkwashing/) regional director for A Wider Bridge, been protested for provocative actions for using Israel’s supposed ‘LGBTQ The Chicago Dyke March, an annual an organization with connections to the at other LGBTQ events and has been tolerance’ to pinkwash the violent social justice-oriented queer community Israeli state and right-wing pro-Israel condemned by numerous organizations occupation of Palestine. celebration, is under attack “The Chicago Dyke by the mainstream me­ dia for March Collective is asking several pro-­Zionist NYC PRIDE explicitly not anti-­ individuals to leave the June See Pride actions, page 5. Semitic, we are anti- 24 march. Zionist. The Chicago The organizers of the Dyke March Collective ­Chicago Dyke March have is- supports the ­liberation sued the following ­statement: of Palestine and all “Yesterday, June 24, ­oppressed people Chicago Dyke March everywhere. From was held in the La Villita Palestine to Mexico, neighborhood to express border walls have got support of undocumented, to go!” refugee, and immigrant Pinkwashing: Zionist PR communi­ ties under threat “Pinkwashing” is a of deportation. Sadly, our ­public-relations strat- celebration of dyke, queer, egy used to portray Is- and trans solidarity was rael as the only place partially overshadowed by in the Middle East that our decision to ask three is friendly to lesbian, individuals carrying Israeli gay, bisexual, trans and flags superimposed on queer people. It relies on rainbow flags to leave the a broad-brushed slander rally. This decision was Black and Brown high school students from the dance group Black Pride 4” and “Queer liberation! Fight for socialism!” of the entire Arab and made after they repeated- Left Our Mark led this enthusiastically received Workers Earlier, at a No Justice, No Pride: Reclaim Pride action, a Muslim world, which ly expressed support for World Party and People’s Power Assembly contingent in New group of LGBTQ activists marched directly in front of the is presented as “back- Zionism during conversa- York City’s huge Pride parade on June 25. The rainbow flag police contingent, carrying a banner reading, “No cops, No ward.” It is further based tions with Chicago Dyke on their signs and banners included black and brown stripes, banks.” After sitting down in front of the Stonewall Inn and on the egregious lie that March Collective members. acknowledging the lives of LGBTQ people of color. Signs linking arms, 12 were arrested. All were later released. Continued on page 5 We have since learned that included “NYPD out of Pride!” “Drop charges on the —Report by Workers World New York bureau WW PHOTO: BRENDA RYAN

DETROIT battles STRIKES! tax foreclosures 2 Tennessee to Haiti 4, 11 MOVE memorial Linked struggles, unveiling, Disability rights: Philadelphia, June 24. anti-racism to anti-war 6-7 ‘HEALTHCARE WW PHOTO: JOE PIETTE not wealthcare’ 3 7 Oscar López Rivera at the U.N. 8 Subscribe to Workers World 4 weeks trial $4 1 year subscription $30

Sign me up for the WWP Supporter Program: WW EDITORIAL 10 workers.org/articles/donate/supporters_/ Obamacare vs. Trumpsick

Name______MILWAUKEE 11 Safe housing & Grenfell 10 Email ______Phone ______CUBA to U.S. Street ______Freedom fighters stay 11

City / State / Zip ______WW PHOTO Workers World 212.627.2994 147 W. 24th St., 2nd Fl, NY, NY 10011 8 9 workers.org French elections Bolivarian Venezuela Page 2 June 29, 2017 workers.org Detroit against tax foreclosures and for people’s housing  In the U.S. By Jerry Goldberg ‘Anti-Zionist, not anti-Semitic’: Chicago Dyke March opposes ‘pinkwashing’ ...... 1 A public forum on June 17 addressed New York Pride ...... 1 the continuing tax foreclosure crisis in Detroit against tax foreclosures, for people’s housing . . 2 Detroit that has left thousands of fam- ‘Healthcare Not Wealthcare!’: Disability activists arrested . 3 ilies facing imminent eviction from Philly vigil against health care cuts ...... 3 their homes. The forum was orga- On the picket line ...... 4 nized by the Coalition to Stop Uncon- stitutional Property Tax Foreclosures, Little Steel Strike: Capitalists expose their brutality, Part I . 4 composed of many community groups Drop all charges against the #BlackPride4 ...... 5 including the Moratorium Now! Coa- Fightback unity cheered at Buffalo Pride ...... 5 lition, Detroit BYP100, the Detroit People’s Platform, the After foreclosing on families’ homes, and being paid off San Francisco Trans March ...... 5 United Community Housing Coalition and the American by the government through Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac Sylville Smith’s life matters Civil Liberties Union. for their losses, the banks then sold the foreclosed homes La vida de Sylville Smith importa ...... 6 Bernadette Atuahene, Wayne State University visit- at vastly reduced prices to investors. These investors fur- Family protest Seattle cops’ killing of Charleena Lyles . . 6 ing law professor and coalition organizer, described the ther contributed to the tax foreclosure crisis by renting ‘Juvenile lifers’: Demanding justice in Detroit ...... 6 scope of the crisis. Professor Atuahene explained how the properties or placing unsuspecting buyers into land between 2011 and 2015, one in four properties in De- contracts; not paying the property taxes; and allowing Justice for Nabra vigil in Miwaukee ...... 6 troit was foreclosed on for unpaid property taxes by the the homes to go into tax foreclosure leading to the evic- On Al-Quds Day in Chicago, ‘Israel out of Palestine!’ . . . . .6 Wayne County treasurer, a number not seen since the tions of unsuspecting occupants. A speaker at the forum, United National Antiwar Coalition links struggles ...... 7 1930’s depression. When you combine the effect of tax Sonya Bennett, described how this process left her family Youth remember MOVE with historic marker ...... 7 foreclosures with the 65,000 mortgage bank foreclosures facing the loss of their home this fall. Newark march: ‘They stole us, they sold us, they owe us!’ . . 7 that also took place, Detroit has approximately one-third Forum speakers also explained how tens of thousands Milwaukee says ‘Hands Off Cuba and Venezuela!’ . . . . . 11 fewer occupied homes now than ten years ago. of Detroiters were denied poverty tax exemptions which Property tax rates are calculated based on the home’s would have reduced their property tax rates anywhere  Around the world tax assessment. Atuahene pointed out that despite the from 50 percent to paying no taxes at all, when the city Oscar López boosts Puerto Rican independence struggle . . 8 Michigan Constitution explicitly providing that no prop- and county withheld information about exemption enti- New neoliberal party monopolizes French parliament . . . 8 erty can be assessed at more than 50 percent of its market tlements to Detroit families. A representative of the ACLU Bolivarian Venezuela resists USA and OAS plots ...... 9 value, between 2009 and 2015, 55 to 85 percent of homes described its class action lawsuit challenging the uncon- in Detroit were over-assessed. The taxes levied based on stitutional tax assessments and for Fair Housing Act vio- Behind the Grenfell Tower disaster: capitalism ...... 10 the inflated assessments on these homes and the ensuing lations in the denial of the hardship exemptions. Monica Cuba: Refuge for U.S. civil rights fighters ...... 11 foreclosures for unpaid taxes that occurred, were in bla- Patrick, from We the People of Detroit, linked the fight Haitian workers strike for $12.50 a day ...... 11 tant violation of the Michigan Constitution. against water shutoffs to the anti-tax foreclosure fight.  Editorial Predatory lending targeted Black communities Banks benefit from federal bailout funds ‘Obamacare’ vs. ‘Trumpsick’ ...... 10 Professor Atuahene presented data showing how The forum also discussed the denial of federal Hard-  Noticias en Español home property values in Detroit declined from $80,000 est Hit Funds to homeowners to pay off delinquent Venezuela resiste ataques OEA/EUA ...... 12 in 2007 to less than $20,000 in 2011, and are at around property tax bills. Hardest Hit Funds are the pittance $30,000 today. This was a direct result of 65,000 bank provided homeowners from the $750 billion bank bail- foreclosures in the city between 2005 and 2009, when out. The Michigan State Housing Development Authority Workers World the banks targeted Detroit’s African-American residents (­MSHDA), which administers the Step Forward program 147 W. 24th St., 2nd Fl. for predatory, fraudulent, subprime and adjustable rate that distributes these federal funds, placed so many im- New York, NY 10011 mortgage loans. Detroit, which formerly had the highest pediments to residents’ eligibility for them, they made the rate of African-American homeownership in the country, Phone: 212.627.2994 Continued on page 3 now ranks near the bottom. E-mail: [email protected] Web: www.workers.org Vol. 59, No. 26 • June 29, 2017 Closing date: June 27, 2017 Join us in the fight Editor: Deirdre Griswold Managing Editors: John Catalinotto, LeiLani Dowell, for socialism! Kris Balderas Hamel, Monica Moorehead, Minnie Bruce Pratt; Web Editor Gary Wilson Workers World Party is a revolutionary Marxist-Lenin- seemingly insurmountable student debt, if they even make ist party inside the belly of the imperialist beast. We are it to college. Black and Brown youth and trans people are Production & Design Editors: Coordinator Lal Roohk; a multinational, multigenerational and multigendered or- gunned down by cops and bigots on a regular basis. Andy Katz, Cheryl LaBash ganization that not only aims to abolish capitalism, but to WWP fights for socialism because the working class Copyediting and Proofreading: Sue Davis, build a socialist society because it’s the only way forward! produces all wealth in society, and this wealth should re- Bob McCubbin Capitalism and imperialism threaten the peoples of the main in their hands, not be stolen in the form of capital- Contributing Editors: Abayomi Azikiwe, world and the planet itself in the never-ending quest for ist profits. The wealth workers create should be socially Greg Butterfield, G. Dunkel, K. Durkin, ever-greater profits. Capitalism means war and austerity, owned and its distribution planned to satisfy and guar- Fred Goldstein, Martha Grevatt, Teresa Gutierrez, racism and repression, joblessness and lack of hope for antee basic human needs. Berta Joubert-Ceci, Terri Kay, Cheryl LaBash, the future. No social problems can be solved under cap- Since 1959, Workers World Party has been out in the Milt Neidenberg, John Parker, Bryan G. Pfeifer, italism. streets defending the workers and oppressed here and Betsey Piette, Gloria Rubac The U.S. is the richest country in the world, yet no one worldwide. If you’re interested in Marxism, socialism Mundo Obero: Redactora Berta Joubert-Ceci; has a guaranteed right to shelter, food, water, health care, and fighting for a socialist future, please contact a WWP Andrea Bañuelos, Ramiro Fúnez, Teresa Gutierrez, education or anything else — unless they can pay for it. branch near you. Carlos Vargas Wages are lower than ever, and youth are saddled with Supporter Program: Coordinator Sue Davis Contact a Workers World Party branch near you: workers.org/wwp Copyright © 2017 Workers World. Verbatim copying and distribution of articles is permitted in any medium without royalty provided this notice is preserved. 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By Mary P. Kaessinger home care, a point stressed by protesters. because their lives and Speaking on the June 23 MSNBC freedom depend on it. “Healthcare not Wealthcare” was a show “The Last Word with Lawrence They organized actions sign left behind at the die-in protest on O’Donnell,” Karen Clay characterized at senators’ offices across June 22 inside Senate Majority Leader this ACA “rewrite” as a decimation: “I the country on June 19, 20 Mitch McConnell’s office in Washington, cried watching the police carry the dis- and 21, in addition to the D.C., by members of ADAPT, a disability abled activists. What kind of country Washington protest which

rights organization. The group was pro- are we? I was concerned for the safety made news, even abroad. PHOTO: NATIONAL ADAPT testing the Republicans’ “rewrite” of the of the people the police were handling. Mike Oxford, an ADAPT People with disabilities, caregivers and friends protest Affordable Care Act. You need training to know how to handle organizer in Kansas, life-threatening health care cuts outside the U.S. Senate Over 60 ADAPT members came from people who ride in chairs. Their muscles telling this writer of the office on June 22. across the country to fight for their free- have atrophied and their bones are not strong bond that exists and sat down for three days, preventing dom. If the proposed $834 billion cut in used to carrying weight.” between people with disabilities and traffic from moving. At night, they got Medicaid occurs, many people who are In the interview, Clay talked about their caregiver workers, stressed that the off their wheelchairs and lay down in the disabled and elderly will die or be ware- her son, Mike Phillips, who has spinal organization campaigns for higher wag- street to sleep. housed in institutions. muscular atrophy, is confined to bed, es for them. They succeeded in Kansas It took five years and more demon- Some 43 activists were arrested during and manipulates a computer to commu- where their hourly pay was raised to $10. strations, but ADAPT finally got wheel- the protest. U.S. Capitol Police picked nicate. With a Medicaid waiver he has a ADAPT got its start in Denver in July chair-accessible buses. They did it with them up off their wheelchairs, dumped personal care assistant who takes him to 1978, fighting for the right to ride city humor; their banner read “[We want] to some people unceremoniously on the the movies, Starbucks or out to dinner buses. Then, 25 activists argued that as go boldly where everybody else has gone ground, and then carted them outside to with friends. “I’m not Ryan Gosling” he taxpayers they had a right to travel on before.” That protest sparked similar be arrested. quipped, “but I live a good life.” the local buses they paid for. Carrying demonstrations across the country. In front of McConnell’s office, five Medicaid provides essential life sup- placards which read, “Taxation without Mary P. Kaessinger is a wheelchair Capitol police lifted 29-year-old Steph- port. The program pays home care at- Transportation,” they circled the buses user. anie Woodward off her wheelchair. She tendants who provide services needed didn’t go quietly, but shouted, “No cuts for daily living, like cooking, bathing to Medicaid!” as she was carried outside. and dressing for work. It enables people Woodward is an ADAPT member from with disabilities to have access to durable Rochester, N.Y. goods, such as wheelchairs and oxygen Vigil against health care cuts “I was born with spina bifida in 1988,” tanks, and to live as normal a life as possi- Woodward told the Huffington Post. “It ble in the community, to work and to raise wasn’t easy for my folks, my mother, a families. These things would be impossi- Philadelphia hairdresser, and my father, an electri- ble without the assistance and necessities cian, to get me the health care and mul- jeopardized by this inhumane bill. tiple surgeries I needed.” She has since To add insult to injury, the funds slashed graduated from law school. Now she has from Medicaid would be used to subsidize private insurance, but says, “Without tax cuts for the wealthy 1% — “wealthcare” Medicaid, I would not be here.” (June 23) as the protesters claim. Filling in the gaps would be left to the states; many won’t do Save Medicaid! it or do not have the money to do so. The same article tells of ADAPT mem- The bill was drafted in secret. McCo- ber Laura Halvorson, a 33-year-old Dal- nnell has been planning to rush the bill las native, who has muscular dystrophy through before the Senate’s July 4 recess. and reluctantly decided not to resist when (See editorial, page 10.) Capitol police told her to move along. Re- But nobody is waiting to see how the sisting could have damaged the breathing Senate votes. Spontaneous protests are apparatus attached to her chair, creating popping up opposing the bill. Planned a life-threatening situation. Parenthood, which would be defunded Halvorson requires help with chores under the bill, called a demonstration for like bathing and cooking, so she is try- June 27. Their email read, “This is not a ing to obtain a personal care attendant drill. We’re in the fight for our lives.” through a Medicaid waiver program. If she can’t get one, she would be forced to ADAPT’s activism live in an institution at twice the cost of ADAPT members are fighting hard

Detroit housing targeted with a demand for rep- arations for the harm they have Continued from page 2 caused. Also, that the 30,000 funds virtually inaccessible. In homes appropriated by the De- contrast, MSHDA turned over troit Land Bank from tax foreclo- hundreds of millions in Hardest sures be given to Detroit families Hit Funds to the Detroit Land Bank to in need of housing as a result of the illegal tear down homes with no oversight what- practices of both the banks, and Wayne soever, leading to massive corruption County and city of Detroit officials. and criminal fraud investigations of the June 28 has been designated “A Day “blight removal” program. of Action” by the Moratorium Now! Co- The coalition is demanding a morato- alition. At 9:30 a.m., activists will attend rium on tax foreclosures of occupied res- the MSHDA monthly board meeting at idences until the taxes are reassessed to the State of Michigan Building at Cadillac their true value and hardship exemptions Place in Detroit to address the misuse of Over 200 demonstrators participated sible for writing the Senate bill. The are provided on a retroactive basis to all Hardest Hit Funds and their immediate in a June 22 rally in Philadelphia against event was organized by the Pennsylvania families entitled to it. It is also demand- release to families in need of aid to save massive cuts to the Affordable Care Act Health Access Network. ing that the Step Forward regulations their homes. and Medicaid being planned by Congress The Senate leadership is secretly nego- be rewritten to free up the Hardest Hit At noon on June 28, Moratorium Now! and the Trump administration. There tiating the bill to repeal ACA that would Funds to keep families in their homes. is calling for a demonstration at the were speeches by the Rev. Dr. William end coverage for 23 million people and Wayne County Treasurer’s Office, 400 Barber II, a leader of the North Caroli- permanently slash funds to Medicaid. It Make banks pay reparations Monroe, to demand a one-year moratori- na Moral Mondays civil rights protest would also give even more power to in- In workshops comprised of activists um on evictions of any families from oc- movement; Philadelphians Organized to surance companies, allowing them to and homeowners facing foreclosures, as cupied, tax foreclosed homes. June 28 is Witness, Empower & Rebuild (POWER) charge more to older people and those well as families who have already lost currently the last day before the tax fore- leader Rev. Greg Holston; and a number with pre-existing conditions. Medicaid their homes, the issue of compensation closed homes are designated for auction. of speakers who will be negatively im- funding cuts will disproportionately af- for the tens of thousands of Detroiters Find information on the June 28 demon- pacted by threatened loss of health care fect seniors, children, low-income adults who have been displaced was taken up. strations at moratorium-mi.org. For the coverage. and people with disabilities. Several workshops raised how the banks Coalition to Stop Unconstitutional Prop- Then a 24-hour vigil began in front Health care is a human right. It should that began the housing crisis in Detroit erty Tax Foreclosures, visit illegalforeclo- of the offices of Pennsylvania Sen. Pat be free for all! with their fraudulent practices should be sures.org. Toomey (R), one of 13 senators respon- — Story and photo by Joe Piette Page 4 June 29, 2017 workers.org PART 1 LITTLE STEEL STRIKE: Capitalists expose their brutality

By Alex Bolchi and Sue Davis By Martha Grevatt thereafter workers walked out at one of Bethle- hem’s plants. SWOC held off taking on National, The Little Steel Strike was one of the blood- whose president, Ernest T. Weir, was one of the Immigrant farmworkers win union victory iest strikes in 1937, and a setback for labor in worst anti-unionists in the whole country. Alto- in Washington a year characterized by a string of union victo- gether 92,000 steelworkers in seven states were ries. Scores of unionists, supporters and family on picket lines; mills were shut down lock-tight. In a major victory for U.S. farmworkers, about 200 migrants who members were wounded, and 18 of their slain Just four days into the strike on May 30, Re- pick berries for Sakuma Brothers in Burlington, Wash., ratified their brothers would never return to work again. public strikers in Chicago were having a Memo- first union contract on June 15. This win is stunning, given the work- Breaking this strike — under a Democratic rial Day social with their families at Sam’s Place, ers’ special oppression — they’re from the Mexican states of Oaxaca and administration in Washington and Democratic SWOC’s local headquarters. Leo Krzycki, of the Guerrero and speak neither English nor Spanish but Mixtec and Tri- governors across the Midwest where the pickets Amalgamated Clothing Workers and a leading quie. Farmworkers have been legally excluded from organizing, except were killed — exposed the violent nature of the figure in the CIO, pledged support. A statement in California, since 1935. capitalist state. from the Chicago mayor affirmed the right to The Families United for Justice union, which is 500 strong and “Little Steel” referred to eight companies — peacefully picket. Having that statement in independent from the AFL-CIO but works with the Washington Labor only “Little” in comparison to “Big” U.S. Steel hand, the strikers at the social voted to march to Council, has a history of success. It played a major role in the Driscoll — that had formed a bloc to resist unionization. the mill and picket. berry boycott of 2016 — the Driscoll brand distributes Sakuma berries. The Feb. 11, 1937, victory of the United Auto “Probably no group of people ever strolled The boycott was suspended after Sakuma agreed to hold the election. Workers against General Motors in the Flint, more casually toward death and wounds,” wrote The deal boasts a rate of up to $15 an hour for experienced workers, Mich., sit-down strike had set off a wave of occu- 1930s’ labor journalist Mary Heaton Vorse. “The seniority rights, “just cause” discipline and a base rate of $12 an hour pations and strikes. Seeking to preempt a strike testimony showed that the police had been eat- — $1 above Washington’s minimum wage! (NW Publishing News, June in March, U.S. Steel agreed to let the Steel Work- ing in the mills and a platoon of fifty policemen 15) FUJ just earned another notch in its stellar history! ers Organizing Committee represent workers in was seen walking out of the mills that morn- its mills. In the next few months about 135 steel ing. The testimony goes to show that this was Big rig drivers strike at California ports companies let SWOC come in. The union, barely a planned attack; that the police came out with Teamsters-organized drivers picketed for a week starting June 19 a year old, now had 330,000 members. the intention of shooting down the workers and outside two of the nation’s largest port and rail facilities in Los Angeles In taking on SWOC, the eight Little Steel bar- then arresting them wholesale. The police had and Long Beach. The drivers called the unfair labor practices strike to ons were acting on behalf of the ruling class, planned to make this peaceful picket line seem protest their illegal misclassification as independent contractors by XPO which wanted to push back the forward march like a Red plot to capture the mills. The brave Cartage, a subsidiary of XPO Logistics (whose offices in Commerce, of the Congress of Industrial Organizations policemen were to have warded off the revolu- Rancho Dominguez and San Diego were also picketed). Misclassifying (originally the Committee on Industrial Orga- tion. But their plan failed. There were too many lets companies shirk all responsibilities by claiming workers are not nization). Beginning as a committee inside the witnesses and too many cameramen.” (“Labor’s employees, leading to enormous profits. This strike spotlights the wage craft-based American Federation of Labor, the New Millions,” 1938) theft from 12,000 big rig drivers, called “sharecroppers on wheels,” at CIO formed to organize the mass of industrial A newsreel showed strike leaders plead- the two ports. workers. In 1936 the CIO’s 12 member unions ing with police to let them pass. Police instead Global giant XPO rakes in millions annually from such customers were expelled from the AFL. opened fire and clubbed workers mercilessly. as Toyota, BMW, P&G and Sony, so it could easily meet the truckers’ Yet workers, inspired by successes in rub- One died after some workers tried to get him in a demands. However, it’s appealing the California Labor Commissioner’s ber and later in auto, flocked to the militant car and drive him to the hospital; police dragged wage-theft award of $1 million for five XPO drivers. (teamsters.org, CIO unions by the millions. Unlike the moder- him out of the car and left him to die. Four were June 19 and 26) WW says: Support all struggles of low-paid, predomi- ate AFL, whose member unions included some dead on the spot. In the next few weeks the nantly immigrant contract workers in all industries! that actually barred African Americans from death toll climbed to 10, nine from gunshot joining, the CIO opened its doors to the most wounds and one bludgeoned to death. Over 100 Immigrant construction workers’ strike in South oppressed. Women, workers of color and immi- were wounded, many incapacitated for life. The grants swelled its ranks. SWOC, formed by the injured included infants and children. Predominantly Latinx construction workers, lured cross-country to CIO in 1936, was no exception. Social worker Guadelupe Marshall gave eye- Nashville, Tenn., in May by the promise of good jobs, hadn’t been paid The Little Steel bosses’ united front — encom- witness testimony to the Senate Civil Liberties for three weeks by Lifestyle Communities. After consulting other con- passing Jones & Laughlin, Pittsburgh, Crucible, Committee, formed to investigate widespread struction workers and Workers Dignity (Dignidad Obera), a multicul- Bethlehem, Youngstown, National, Republic and illegal union busting. She was clubbed on the tural workers’ center founded to fight wage theft, which has recovered Inland steel companies, led by the notorious Tom head while trying to assist the wounded and more than $330,000 since 2010, about 65 workers went out on May Girdler of Republic — began to crumble in May then arrested. Hospitals were overwhelmed 16 for five days. Last summer non-union Latinx construction workers when J & L signed with SWOC after a 36-hour with the injured strikers and put out a call for also struck twice in Nashville when companies failed to provide water strike. Then Pittsburgh and Crucible gave in. volunteers, but police blocked volunteers from during record heat. entering to give aid. Marshall was one of many “There is most definitely a growing militancy among Latino workers Steel workers unified in strike Latinx immigrants who fought valiantly against in the South,” Workers’ Dignity organizer Alexa Malischack told Pay- The union struck three holdouts, Republic, Girdler and company. (LaFollette Committee, Day.com. In May, 100 Latinx non-union construction workers in Louis- Youngstown and Inland, on May 26, and shortly U.S. Senate, tinyurl.com/ybywnzfr) ville, Ky., went on strike for two days after discovering they were being Every year, steelworkers and other paid $14/hour less than whites doing the same work. These workers Chicago unionists gather at the site are now organizing to join Carpenters Local 175. As Payday noted: of the slaughter to remember those “With the Latino population growing in the South, many activists say who laid down their lives in the ser- that the key to organizing the South is harnessing solidarity across vice of their class. [nationalities and communities].” (June 22) Part 2: Strike violence continues. Grad student teachers win contract at UMichigan Seven murdered in Ohio. After a five-month fight, the Graduate Employees Organization at the University of Michigan, American Federation of Teachers Local 3550, ratified its first two-year contract on April 14. Local 3550, which represents more than 1,800 graduate student instructors and gradu- ate student staff assistants, had to rally, march and stage a two-day Police fire on workers during the Republic sit-in before the administration would bargain seriously. Though they Steel strike, May 30, wanted a 5.5 percent wage hike, the workers won an increase of 3.35 1937, in Chicago. percent annually; zero premium in GradCare health insurance and review process for transition-related care; child care subsidy and paid PHOTO: ARKANSAS AFL-CIO parental leave; and discrimination protections for international grad students. Adjunct faculty rally for fair contract MARXISM, REPARATIONS & the Black Freedom Struggle An anthology of writings from Workers World newspaper. Edited by Monica Moorehead. at UMass-Lowell Racism, National Oppression & Self-Determination Larry Holmes Adjunct faculty at University of Massachusetts-Lowell are fighting an Black Labor from Chattel Slavery to Wage Slavery Sam Marcy uphill battle for a contract given the administration’s refusal to bargain. Black Youth: Repression & Resistance LeiLani Dowell United Auto Workers Region 9A, with members in the Northeast and The Struggle for Socialism Is Key Monica Moorehead Puerto Rico, called a rally for its members in Local 259 on June 22. A Domestic Workers United Demand Passage of a Bill of Rights Imani Henry loud brass band led hundreds on a march around campus. The prima- Black & Brown Unity: Struggle for Human Rights & Global Justice! Saladin Muhammad ry slogan and chant were “Equal pay for equal work.” Lowell adjuncts Harriet Tubman, Woman Warrior Mumia Abu-Jamal make 32 percent less than adjuncts at four other UMass campuses and Alabama’s Black Belt: Legacy of Slavery, Sharecropping & Segregation Consuela Lee have no health care coverage. (Facebook/UAW Region 9A, June 20) Are Conditions Ripe Again Today? Anniversary of the 1965 Watts Rebellion John Parker WW supports these “precarious” workers demanding social justice! Available at major online book sellers. workers.org June 29, 2017 Page 5 LGBTQ Pride in Solidarity 2017 Queer, dyke and trans opposition Drop all charges against to ‘pinkwashing’ Continued from page 1 the #BlackPride4 the Israeli settler state treats LGBTQ Pal- By Susan Schnur estinians as equal to LGBTQ Israelis. Pinkwashing not only serves to legit- Several Black queer imize the Israeli state but also reinforces and trans people and U.S. imperialist propaganda, which claims allies gathered at the that the U.S. wages war in an effort to “lib- LGBTQ Pride Festival erate” LGBTQ peoples and women in the in Columbus, Ohio, on Middle East and throughout the world — June 17 with the intent of even as LGBTQ peoples face police brutal- silently blocking the pa- ity, added economic hardship and denial combine the Rainbow flag and the Star rade for seven minutes of social services here in the U.S. of David or elements of the flag of Isra- to hold space for Black Another essential component of pro-Is- el. Some versions feature a blue or white and Brown queer and Columbus, Ohio rael propaganda is the conflation of Juda- Star of David in the center of the tradi- trans people. FACEBOOK/@COLUMBUSABOVEGROUND ism and Jewish identity with the settler tional Rainbow Pride flag. Others more The activists were Supporters gathered outside City Hall on June 17, the day the state of Israel, a lie which anti-Zionist closely visually emulate the flag of Israel protesting the recent #BlackPride4 were arrested at the Columbus Pride Parade, to demand their release. Jewish organizations, like Jewish Voice by restricting the rainbow stripes to nar- acquittal of the police for Peace and the International Jewish row bands above and below the star, and officer who killed Philando Castile. Other confirmed that the charges for Wriply Anti-Zionist Network, have rejected. This lastly a version includes the entire flag of important aims were to raise awareness Bennett, Kendall Denton, Ashley Brax- conflation allows Zionists to smear any- Israel in one corner of the Rainbow flag. about the violence against and erasure ton and Deandre Miles include aggra- one who criticizes Israel as “anti-Semit- The first verified instance of any of of Black and Brown queer and trans peo- vated robbery, resisting arrest, causing ic,” providing a cover for Israeli genocide these variations that Workers World was ple, and in particular the lack of space for harm to a police officer, failure to comply of the Palestinian people, and erasing the able to locate online was at a Pride event in Black and Brown people at Pride festivals with a police officer’s order and disorder- voices and work of Jews worldwide who Arizona in 2006. (tinyurl.com/y8gfsnt8) and to raise the names of the 14 trans ly conduct. reject Zionism. The flag was used by AVIV of Arizona, a woman of color who have already been Later that evening, crowds gathered Both these propaganda tactics are in LGBTQ Jewish organization affiliated murdered this year. outside Columbus City Hall demanding full force in the media’s attack on the Chi- with the openly pro-Israel World Confer- In a June 18 press release, activist the release of the anti-racism protesters cago Dyke March’s principled opposition ence of GLBT Jews — Keshet Ga’avah. The Ariana Steele stated that “though our and that all charges be dropped. Miles to Zionism and pinkwashing. Articles organization’s website explains that “the method was a silent, nonviolent, peaceful was kept overnight in solitary confine- from Newsweek, Haaretz, Pink News, the Hebrew name [Keshet Ga’avah] means demonstration, the CPD [Columbus Po- ment and charged with felony aggravated Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Unicorn Boo- rainbow of pride and reflects the impor- lice Department] immediately opted for robbery for allegedly trying to grab one of ty, and Chicago’s Windy City Times refer tance of Israel to our organization,” and unnecessary force in lieu of our civil and the cops’ guns. to the flags as “Jewish pride flags,” with highlights that “A Wider Bridge teamed human rights. Protesters were assaulted At Cleveland Pride on June 24, soli- pro-Zionist media outlets like Haaretz, up with the World Congress in 2015 to with bicycles, sprayed with mace, jumped tary leaflets demanding the release of JTA, the Jerusalem Post and others re- bring Tel Aviv the first global LGBTQ on, pushed, pummeled and chased with the #BlackPride4 and “Black Trans Lives ferring to the decision as “anti-Semitic.” leadership conference in the Middle East.” horses — all within two minutes of the Matter” placards were distributed to pa- The woman who was carrying the Rain- In the “mission” section of the site, every initiation of the roadblock. In the pro- rade participants. On June 25, the web- bow/Star-of-David flag, Laurel Grauer, image features one variation or another cess, four Black protestors were target- site No Justice No Pride reported support identified herself as a Zionist to Chicago of the Israeli Pride flag. Similar flags are ed and arrested. The #BlackPride4 were actions in Seattle, Chicago, Minneapolis Dyke March organizers and also in an featured prominently on the social media taken into custody and held in a CPD van and New York City. interview with JTA, and is the Midwest accounts of A Wider Bridge. for four hours in 90 degree heat prior to A campaign is underway to demand that manager of A Wider Bridge. In a comment The origin of the Rainbow/Star-of-Da- processing without being provided med- all charges be dropped against the #Black- on Chicago Dyke March’s Facebook page, vid flag is, as far as WW was able to de- ical attention.” Pride4. To donate to the defense fund, visit Stav Meishar argued that “the flags that termine, a Zionist organization, and it is The Columbus Police Department has tinyurl.com/donateBlackPride4. ‘triggered’ people were NOT a flag of the used extensively by Zionist pinkwashing modern state of Israel, they are PRIDE organizations and individuals. Converse- flags adorned with the star of David.” ly, WW was unable to find any instance of the flag being used or promoted by any ex- Fightback unity cheered at Pride Zionist Rainbow Flag plicitly anti-Zionist Jewish organizations. Taken separately, neither the Rainbow Only by ignoring the historical and Buffalo, N.Y. flag nor the Star of David are inherent- political context of the flag and reducing ly connected to Israel. But to argue that it to its elements can the media and the their combination is not associated with Zionists claim that it is a merely Jewish the Israeli pinkwashing campaign ig- rather than Zionist flag. To ask for the nores the origin and connotations of the flag’s removal was to oppose Zionism, not flag, as well as its current extensive use Judaism. by pro-Zionist LGBTQ organizations and Solidarity with the organizers of the other entities engaged in pinkwashing Chicago Dyke March! Reject Zionist the apartheid Israeli settler state. “pinkwashing” and support Palestinian There are a number of variant flags that liberation! WW PHOTO: ELLIE DORRITIE On June 4 in Buffalo, N.Y., youth from immigrants, the Black Lives Matter move- Workers World Party, Queers for Racial ment and defense of trans women of color Justice and other groups marched at Pride — raising the legacy of Marsha P. Johnson San Francisco Trans March in a first-time-together, fightback contin- and Sylvia Rivera. The contingent’s pres- gent. They carried banners and signs con- ence in an otherwise heavily corporate cel- fronting anti-LGBTQ oppression, racism, ebration brought wild cheers all along the sexism, war and Trump’s entire anti-work- parade route. er program. Placards raised support for — Report by Tom Answeeney and Garrett Dicembre

Baltimore

Several thousand people participated The contingent made a powerful in the Trans March, which started at Do- presence, with chants like “When I say lores Park and ended in San Francisco’s trans, you say justice! Trans justice!” Tenderloin district on June 23. API Equal- and “One! We are the people! Two! A ity-Northern California, along with Gabri- little bit louder! Three! We want justice ela SF, Ieumsae and ­VietUnity, organized a for all trans people!” The Korean drum- militant and colorful contingent “to show mers of Ieumsae added rhythm and en- our power as Trans and Gender Non-Con- thusiasm to the contingent. WW PHOTO: RASIKARUWANPATHIRANA forming Asian and ­Pacific Islander people!” — Story and photo by Terri Kay Baltimore Pride, June 16. Page 6 June 29, 2017 workers.org WE RESIST Sylville Smith’s life matters La vida de Sylville Smith importa The statement below, issued in English and Spanish by Voces de la Frontera publicó la siguiente declaración: in Milwaukee, condemns the acquittal on June 21 of a Milwaukee police officer “Estamos tristes y enojados que el in the 2016 killing of community member Sylville Smith. sistema de justicia penal otra vez no ha “We are heartbroken and angry that Black, Brown and working-class families. castigado a un policía por matar a un the criminal justice system has again We especially urge Milwaukee non-Black hombre afroamericano,” dijo Christine Sylville Smith failed to hold a police officer accountable Latinx and immigrant community mem- Neumann-Ortiz, directora ejecutiva de for killing a Black man,” said Christine bers to protest this verdict. We cannot Voces de la Frontera. “La vida de Sylville y de la clase trabajadora. Animamos Neumann-Ortiz, Executive Director of demand justice for Latinx and immigrant Smith importa. Él fue asesinado por especialmente a los latinxs e inmigrantes Voces de la Frontera. “Sylville Smith’s families without demanding justice for el mismo sistema legal que discrimina de Milwaukee a protestar este juicio. No life matters. He was murdered by the Black families separated by the police en contra de los latinxs, separa a las podemos exigir justicia para las familias same legal system that racially profiles killings of loved ones. familias inmigrantes por la deportación latinas e inmigrantes sin exigir justicia Latinxs, separates immigrant families “Voces de la Frontera condena la y nombra a millones de personas de color para las familias afroamericanas rotas through deportation and labels millions ­exoneración del policía de Milwaukee como criminales. Fue asesinado por el por los asesinatos policíacas.” of people of color as criminals. He was en el asesinato de un miembro de la mismo sistema económico que está cer- Voces de la Frontera, a national leader murdered by the same economic system comunidad: Junio 21, una vez más un rando las fábricas que proveía trabajos in the movement for immigrant and that outsources jobs from good paying policía fue exonerado después de ase- buenos pagados, que está cortando fon- worker rights, is the largest grassroots factories, defunds public schools and sinar a un hombre afroamericano, esta dos de las escuelas públicas y el cuidado Latinx membership organization in health care, and evicts and forecloses on vez en Milwaukee. Voces de la Frontera de salud y desaloja a las familias de color ­Wisconsin: www.vdlf.org. Friends and family protest Seattle cops’ killing of mother of three

By Jim McMahan recently had some mental health issues loved and respected Lyles, including the Seattle and that race was also an issue. Two white Social Equality Caucus of the Seattle Ed- cops shot her from close range with five to ucation Association, held a vigil and press Two days after the June 16 acquittal of seven bullets. conference outside the Lyles’ home on the cop who murdered Philando Castile in The Lyles’ family was living in housing June 20. Many voiced their outrage and Minnesota, Seattle cops murdered a Black for formerly homeless families in Magnu- called for justice. mother of three in her own home. The son Park. Seattle, especially in the Black City Councilwoman Kshama Sawant, a June 18 shooting of Charleena Lyles, who community, faces a huge gentrification member of the NAACP and Socialist Al- was pregnant, was in front of her children. crisis leading to homelessness. Since the ternative, demanded a town hall meeting A gathering of family and friends out- killing of Lyles, many people are saying where the Lyles family can voice their con- Charleena Lyles side Lyles’ home protested her murder that the social service system failed her cerns and demand for justice from the po- that very day. and that any intervention allegedly on her lice. Word came during the rally that the Bridge. They chanted, “Charleena! Say Her Lyles had called the cops to report a behalf should have come with a mental City Council had agreed to that demand. Name!” At the bridge, cops blocked the way. burglary in her home. Asking for help, she health specialist, along with other social Then the Lyles family led the crowd, When the crowd confronted them, the city was instead gunned down. services, not by two racist cops. which had swelled to well over 1,000 peo- raised the drawspan of the bridge to shut Her relatives have stated that she had A network of family and friends who ple, on a three-mile march to the Montlake down its own street to block the march. ‘Juvenile lifers’: Demanding justice in Detroit

By Elle Fox June 18, in Detroit, tend because they were granted releases Wayne County Community College who is organizing against after the state re-examined their cases. engaged in the fight for criminal justice re- A group of at least ‘cruel and unusual Family members of those unfairly in- form, to organize the event. They also cre- 80 protesters rallied in punishment’ of carcerated and those formerly impris- ated an online petition demanding passage Erma Henderson Park young people oned, as well as activists from the area, of state prison reform that would impact in Detroit on Father’s imprisoned for life. attended the protest. Members of Am- every prisoner in Michigan. The link to the Day, June 18, to show WW PHOTO: nesty International, activists involved in “Support Michigan Prison Reform” peti- ABAYOMI AZIKIWE their disgust that the fighting the legislation, and many people tion is tinyurl.com/mipr2017/. state of Michigan has personally affected by this injustice ad- Among the demands are relief for pris- yet to re-examine most Michigan current- dressed the protest. oners serving life and long indeterminate of its cases of juvenile ly has 363 people who Efrén Paredes Jr., who is still serving sentences, and ending mandatory min- incarceration for life were im­prisoned as a life sentence, called in to the event. His imum sentencing and incarceration for without chance of parole. juveniles and who are serving life sentenc- voice, broadcast for everyone to hear, told victims of abuse who defend themselves. Back in 2012, the U.S. Supreme Court es without parole, most of whom have not what the struggle is like on the inside. Other important issues include stopping decided that such punishments were cru- had their sentences re-examined. Michi- In 1989, Paredes was incarcerated for predatory prices on phone calls home. el and unusual, save for extreme cases gan ranks second in the nation for the most life without the chance of parole at the age where there was no possibility of reha- juveniles sentenced to life without parole. of 15. Paredes paired with Elena Herra- bilitation. In 2016, the court made their At the protest were about a dozen individ­ da, a professor at Marygrove College and decision retroactive so that anyone sen- uals who had been previously imprisoned, tenced before the ruling should have including two who had been sentenced to their case re-evaluated. life without parole. They were able to at- Milwaukee On Al-Quds Day, Chicago Justice for Nabra vigil ‘Israel out By Milwaukee Workers World bureau A multinational crowd of supporters joined a #JusticeforNabra vigil at O’Don- of Palestine!’ nell Park in Milwaukee on June 23 to de- Several hundred people rallied in nounce the June 18 murder of Nabra Has- front of Chicago’s Israeli Consulate on sanen in Sterling, Va. The slain 17-year WW PHOTO June 23 and then marched through old Muslim teen was brutally attacked Vigil organizers stated: “We cannot the Loop to commemorate Al-Quds and killed by a man with a baseball bat separate this terrible act of violence from Day, an international day of struggle on her way home from a Ramadan-relat- the current political moment, a moment against Israel’s occupation of Palestine. ed event. She was wearing a traditional where Black lives are under increased at- The action was called by People United Muslim headscarf at the time. tack, where individuals like Nabra’s mur- Against Oppression and co-sponsored A diverse rainbow of organizations derer are emboldened by the anti-Black, by the Muslim Congress, Answer Coa- from the Arab, Muslim, Latinx, Afri- anti-Arab and anti-Muslim rhetoric, lition, Neturei Karta, Refuse Fascism can-American and other communities where communities are pitted against and Workers World Party. participated. Youth and students played one another.” (For complete statement, — Report and photo by Jeff Sorel a significant role in organizing this event. visit tinyurl.com/yczvtz2h/.) WE RESIST workers.org June 29, 2017 Page 7 United National Antiwar Coalition: Determined to link struggles This report from United National Antiwar Coalition is based on a full report Panels included speakers from UNA­ C- ciples: “UNAC reaffirms its commitment and videos at UNACpeace.org and UNACconference2017.org. affiliated groups and friends. Each panel to the organization of independent, mass As activists met June 16-18 in Rich- abroad and the wars at home on people of focused on international or domestic is- action, united front mobilizations against mond, Va., for the United National An- color, workers, immigrants, Muslims and sues, but all had speakers who addressed all U.S. wars at home and abroad. Unity in tiwar Coalition 2017 conference, titled others. The entire conference was profes- the connection to both wars abroad and action against the endless imperialist wars Sylville Smith “Stop the Wars at Home and Abroad: sionally live-streamed and recorded by wars at home. for power and profit is inseparable from Building a Movement Against War, Injus- Other Voices, Other Choices, with produc- Two sessions of workshops were held on the same necessary unity at home against tice & Repression,” the U.S. military was er Wilton Vought. The recordings can be such topics as NATO expansion, building the inherent racism, sexism, homophobia shooting down another Syrian plane and seen and heard at tinyurl.com/yd7vrq9e/. the antiwar movement, drone warfare, and anti-working class policies generated the cop who murdered Philando Castile This was the first time UNAC attempt- environmental justice, the “color revo- by a society ruled by the one percent.” was being acquitted. ed a conference in the U.S. South. This lutions,” the peace process in Columbia, The proposal went on to assert that Despite these realities, the conference was due to the number of groups from the youth activism, the Black Alliance for UNAC will organize and support ac- and the movement took a huge step for- South that have recently joined UNAC and Peace, the importance of an anti-imperial- tions along these lines and will expand ward. More than 300 people registered an increased pace of struggle in that area ist perspective, and a training session for our leadership bodies to broaden and for the conference, coming together from Speakers at the conference recognized security and defense at rallies and more. strengthen our coalition. 31 states as well as nine foreign coun- that we are at an extremely dangerous The final panel of the weekend, held The conference concluded with a march tries: Canada, Colombia, Hungary, Phil- time with current expanding, unend- on Sunday morning, June 18, was called from the Richmond Conference Center ippines, Poland, Russia, Serbia, Ukraine ing wars; millions of displaced refu- “Building a More Powerful Movement for to Richmond’s African Burial Ground in and Venezuela. gees; more than 800 U.S. military bases Justice and Peace.” On this panel, lead- Shockoe Bottom, once the epicenter of the The conference was the most diverse around the world; the threat of nuclear ers of several organizations with differ- U.S. domestic slave trade, where confer- by age, race and geography than any an- annihilation; and climate destruction. At ent experiences contributed their ideas ence participants pledged support for the Friends and family protest Seattle cops’ killing of mother of three tiwar conference or meeting in the U.S. in the same time, at home, the social safety in the hope of building a stronger move- ongoing struggle to reclaim, expand and recent history. UNAC shows an indepen- net is being ravaged; repression of dissent ment. This was followed by the presen- properly memorialize the site. dent path against neoliberalism, imperi- is rising; mass incarceration accelerates; tation of an action proposal and an open The conference represented the rapidly alism and racism, and true resistance at a wages and standard of living stagnates; mic to discuss the proposal and how best changing consciousness of people in the pivotal moment. and the obscenely wealthy are raking to move forward. Based on the discus- U.S. It represented the coming together Hosted in Richmond by the UNAC-­ it in. Now, more than ever, we need a sion, the unanimously adopted proposal of the antiwar movement with a section affiliated Virginia Defenders for Freedom, strong, unified coalition of antiwar and was modified. of Black leaders and international guests Justice and Equality, the conference pre- justice movements to fight back against The action proposal started with a reaf- who have a clear understanding of what is sented panels and workshops on the wars the imperialist war system and win! firmation of the coalition’s founding prin- needed for today’s movement.

Charleena Lyles Youth remember MOVE with historic marker

By Betsey Piette the police did in the Philadelphia Black Philadelphia community over 32 years ago. During this visit, they noticed there was no marker, Due to the hard work and dedication applied for it and started raising funds. of middle school students from the Jubi- Students repeatedly asked why those lee School here, there is finally a histor- responsible for the murderous assault ic marker on Osage Avenue and Cobbs were never held accountable. They said Creek Parkway in remembrance of the 11 this failure helped pave the way for the MOVE members, including five children, current epidemic of police brutality. who died in a purposely uncontrolled fire The marker unveiling was part of a on May 13, 1985. campaign called “Songs of the Children A very moving ceremony was held June Movement: A Campaign against Police 24 to unveil the marker, which will serve Violence,” which was begun in 2015 by as a permanent reminder of the murder Jubilee students to speak out against so- of the MOVE members. In 1985, Philadel- cial injustices. The students chose this ti- phia officials, including the mayor, police tle because they wanted to use poetry as a commissioner and fire commissioner, or- “message builder.” WW PHOTO: JOE PIETTE The five Jubilee student organizer-leaders at MOVE memorial unveiling, Philadelphia, June 24. dered a bomb dropped on MOVE’s West The young students also led three Philadelphia row home. In addition to the marches of hundreds of children to con- MOVE members attended, carrying large marker on the public parkway. This de- deaths, the resulting fire also destroyed front police brutality and to abolish the pictures of nine MOVE members impris- layed the marker’s placement. Jubilee the entire two-block area. city’s “Stand Your Ground” and “Stop and oned since 1978 as the result of an earlier School principal Karen Falcon, who said The Jubilee students described the at- Frisk” laws. On March 18, 2016, they held Philadelphia attack on the group. Several that the students submitted all necessary tack on MOVE as “one of the worst cases a silent march with drums, inspired by were grandchildren of MOVE members paperwork, stated, “It still feels like the of police brutality in America.” W.E.B. Du Bois’ march against lynching killed in the 1985 fire. city isn’t fully owning up to it in some Speaking as a collective voice, five Ju- in the early 1900s. In their year-long campaign, the stu- sense.” (billypenn.com, June 23) bilee students described how the marker Several of the remaining Osage Avenue dents stood their ground and eventually The final wording on the marker reads: project began as part of a field trip to the residents supported the students’ efforts won out against efforts of the histori- “The MOVE Bombing — On May 13, 1985, area on May 13, 2016. and attended the June 24 unveiling. Ra- cal commission to include wording that at 6221 Osage Avenue, an armed conflict The students went to Osage Avenue to mona Africa, the sole surviving MOVE would imply there was “a gun battle” at occurred between the Phila. Police Dept. commemorate the MOVE bombing and to member to escape the fire, spoke publicly the site instead of an overwhelming at- and MOVE members. A PA State Police witness the impact first hand, including at the site for the first time since 1985. tack by 100 police with water cannons, helicopter dropped a bomb on MOVE’s the poorly rebuilt houses, many now un- Over 150 people came to the unveil- tear gas and heavy machine gun fire. house. An uncontrolled fire killed eleven inhabitable. The trip’s goal was to uncover ing, with speakers including renowned City officials claimed the group had MOVE members, including five children, why the city wouldn’t acknowledge what Philadelphia poet Sonia Sanchez. Young not filed paperwork needed to place the and destroyed 61 homes.” Newark march: ‘They stole us, they sold us, they owe us!’ By Stephen Millies len from Africa during the trans-Atlantic “Jim Crow” policies at higher rates to Af- slave trade. World capitalism was built rican Americans for decades. Over a hundred people marched upon this colossal crime, along with the Omowale Clay, of the December 12th through downtown Newark, N.J., genocide committed against Indigenous Movement, led the crowd in chanting, on June 24 demanding reparations peoples throughout the Americas. “They stole us! They sold us! They owe for the African Holocaust. Called Hamm noted that New Jersey’s history us!” a powerful slogan which D12 origi- by the People’s Organization for was intertwined with slavery. The state nated. Glen Ford, of the Black Agenda Re- Progress, the demonstration was legislature initially refused to pass the port, pointed out that 150 years ago the greeted by people at bus stops with 13th Amendment banning slavery. biggest U.S. capitalist investments were clenched fists. Among the huge companies that have enslaved Africans. Larry Hamm, chairman of POP, benefited from racism is Prudential In- Other organizations that participated PHOTO: PEOPLE’S ORGANIZATION FOR PROGRESS quoted Dr. W.E.B. Du Bois that at surance, whose headquarters the dem- included the Nation of Islam, the Black Marching through downtown Newark, June 24. least 150 million people were sto- onstrators marched past. Prudential sold Lives Matter movement and BAYAN. Page 8 June 29, 2017 workers.org Oscar López boosts struggle for Puerto Rican independence

By Berta Joubert-Ceci Puerto Rico. It was not just a Puer- Oscar López Rivera’s presence in cir- to Rican Day Parade. It cles of the Boricua diaspora at this cru- was a protest, a march cial moment in the history of Puerto for sovereignty and in- Rico represents a great boost towards dependence of a nation. the unity and the advancement of the López Rivera, standing struggle for decolonization and indepen- on a float in the front of dence as the only way forward for true the march, was able to ­sovereignty. appreciate the enthusi- López Rivera’s recent visit to New asm of a rebellious dias- York had several purposes: to meet with pora in the very heart of political activists, attend the June 11 Wall Street’s city. National Puerto Rican Day Parade and testify at the June 19 meeting of the Testimony at the U.N. United Nations’ Special Committee on That same enthusi- ­Decolonization. asm surrounded López Many meetings and events were held Rivera when he testified during the days prior to and after the at the United Nations on June 11 parade, not only with the dias- June 19. Received with pora, but also with labor and other ac- a standing ovation, he PHOTO: PRENSA LATINA tivists. One was a breakfast sponsored spoke movingly for 20 Puerto Rican national hero Oscar López Rivera in New York. by the SEIU Local 1199 of health care minutes — a special time workers, where several well-known fig- concession. The Puerto Rican governor’s in Puerto Rico graduates 100 doctors, 85 will be poorer and more destitute, the ures attended, including renowned sister representative criticized this concession. percent of them have to emigrate. colonialists and the banking industry Pam Africa. Below are excerpts of his presentation, “Any country that loses two-thirds will become richer. Thus, Puerto Rico entitled: of its population, including its best is being made poorer and poorer and at Puerto Rican Day Parade “What has United States colo- developed human resource, cannot see the same time depopulated of its native In May, the Parade Board had decided nialism done to Puerto Rico and itself having a strong economy and good population. to dedicate the parade to López Rivera the Puerto Rican people?” quality of life for its citizens. ... “In spite of the fact that the future and nominated him as National Free- “Today there are over five million “What the Fiscal Control Board is of Puerto Rico looks very bleak, many dom Hero. Within days, most of the cor- Puerto Ricans living in the diaspora, making the colonialist administrators Puerto Ricans believe this is the best porate sponsors — Coca-Cola, JetBlue, while there are less than three-and-a- of Puerto Rico do is more worrisome. … moment to wage an effective decoloniz- Goya Foods, the Yankees, Univision, etc. half million living in Puerto Rico. … I By August, 169 schools will be closed. ing process. We know that the major- — withdrew their sponsorship. Police, have seen an accelerated gentrification Teachers will be losing jobs, and com- ity of Puerto Ricans love Puerto Rico, firefighters and other groups associated process constructing condominiums munities, especially the poorer ones, our national identity, our culture, our with “law and order” or sympathizers costing one million dollars or more. will be losing their schools. Behind the language and our origins. We see the of the pro-statehood status formula re- “Since I am familiar with what gen- scenes, the colonialists are pushing potential that Puerto Rico has to become fused to attend. trification does to poor people, I know more and more their privatization plans. a strong nation and an asset to the econ- Puerto Ricans who favor independence the luxury condominiums are not being They aren’t satisfied that privatization in omy of Caribbean and Latin American then launched a boycott campaign aimed built for them. ... In Culebra, Vieques Puerto Rico has played a major role in countries. We have the human resources at these firms’ social media. Many of and around the coast of Puerto Rico, bringing the economy to its worse condi- and the other basic resources to trans- those commenting expressed their satis- where the beaches are the most beauti- tions in Puerto Rico’s history. ... form Puerto Rico into the edenic garden faction, stating, “We got our culture, our ful, the construction of luxury building “It is threatening the future of the Uni- it has the potential of being. parade, back,” referring negatively to the is already overtaking the landscape. versity of Puerto Rico. The goal of the Fis- “Because this is such a moment, we commercialization of the parade in the “The colonialists who administer the cal Control Board is to take away close to are asking this Committee to take the last decades. colony give incentives to the builders half a billion dollars from the university’s issue of the decolonization of Puerto The result was a magnificent demon- and to buyers who are foreigners, and budget. At the same time, it is looking for Rico to the General Assembly and ask it stration of Puerto Ricans’ fierce determi- deny providing incentives to [Puerto ways to raise the tuition and to force the to fulfill its responsibilities to bring to an nation to prevail despite the criminal at- Rican] small businesses and small home University of Puerto Rico to close some of end the colonization of Puerto Rico by tacks of the colonial powers. Thousands owners. its eleven campuses and to sell much of its the U.S. government. of Boricuas attended. Floats and contin- “It has been the goal of the U.S. gov- property, especially land that it has been “I hope you will do whatever you can gents did not simply advertise commod- ernment, since it invaded and occupied using for experiments in the past. to bring to an end the colonial status ities as in the past, but carried signs and Puerto Rico, to depopulate it. ... And the “What the Fiscal Control Board of Puerto Rico, to help us make Puerto banners demanding independence. They last wave began 17 years ago. More than seems to be doing is trying to privatize Rico the nation it has the potential of demanded the ousting of the dictatorial one million Puerto Ricans have moved the university system. All the mon- being, and to be part of the community Fiscal Control Board, the “junta” that the to the diaspora, causing the biggest ey that will be taken away from the of nations. U.S. Congress set up as a collection agen- brain drain in Puerto Rico’s history, public education system will be used as “Thank you. En resistencia y cy to grab the enormous — and illegiti- because most of the emigrants are pro- payment to fill the coffers of the banks ­lucha siempre, Oscar López Rivera.” mate — debt that has been imposed on fessionals. … If the School of Medicine and hedge funds. While Puerto Ricans ­(minhpuertorico.org) New neoliberal party monopolizes French parliament

By G. Dunkel France’s state of emergency laws — to im- Historically, French workers have not seats in 2012, but won only 30 in this pose house arrests and to search homes, relied on elections but taken their pro- election. Even though it has been a ma- The new centrist and neoliberal par- offices, phones and computers without a tests to the streets with mass march- jor French party since World War II, the ty, la République en Marche (LREM), is judge’s order. The large West and North es and general strikes. Sometimes the pro-imperialist Socialist Party’s future only 14 months old, but it was still able African and Arab communities in France workers win; sometimes they lose. But is shaky. to field candidates in all of France’s 577 are particular targets of these measures. the French bourgeoisie usually know The French neofascist party, the election districts for the National Assem- Two-thirds of French workers, accord- they have been in a serious struggle. ­National Front, which came in second bly and win a solid majority of 308 seats ing to Le Monde, abstained from voting Only two of the 577 candidates LREM in the presidential race with a third of on June 18. Another center-right party in parliamentary elections — and not fielded were workers, according to Le the votes, only managed to win eight and a solid ally of LREM won 42 seats. because they assumed LREM would win Monde, which carefully examined all seats, though early projections estimat- This LREM majority is going to let and represent their interests. Two work- of their profiles. Even though over half ed it would win 50. the new president, Emmanuel Macron, ers’ parties — the French Communist LREM’s candidates were women and a Only 25 percent of the representa- elected earlier this spring, push through Party (PCF) and France Unbowed (FI) — surprising number were from France’s tives in the National Assembly before two major projects: thoroughly revising did better than expected. Arab and African communities, most this election managed to hold onto France’s labor law to make it easier to fire Jean-Luc Mélenchon, the leader of were executives, small business owners, their seats. The French political scene workers and harder for workers to orga- FI, spoke June 18 in Marseille where he professionals and intellectuals, grad- has been thoroughly disrupted. De- nize and protect the rights they have won was elected to the National Assembly. He uates of France’s top schools. Half of spite this, the basic role of the French in the past. characterized the abstentions as a “civic LREM candidates were under 47, again state — to suppress French workers and Macron says he will give the cops per- general strike” and proclaimed that the unusual in France. (June 8) promote French imperialism — hasn’t manent authority they now have under struggle was not over. The French Socialist Party held 280 changed. workers.org June 29, 2017 Page 9 Bolivarian Venezuela resists USA and OAS plots

By Berta Joubert-Ceci of its facilities by ‘peaceful, defense- less, young, heroic demonstrators’ In Mexico, the government of Enrique seeks: the demoralization of the FANB Peña Nieto ignores the just demands of (Armed Forces of the Bolivarian Na- the mothers and fathers of the 43 Ayot- tion) troops, their dissatisfaction and zinapa student teachers and continues withdrawal of support for the Nation to kill, threaten and snoop with illegal State and the Bolivarian Constitution, eavesdropping — as in the Pegasus case, and to provoke a bellicose and force- which involves Israeli software sold to ful response from the government, so the Mexican government for the surveil- as to expose it as a failed Nation State lance of journalists. drifting into national and internation- In Honduras, activists continue to be al turmoil, using this as a pretext for murdered. foreign intervention to overthrow the In Colombia, threats and killings con- government and the republican insti- tinue against Indigenous people, peas- tutionality.” (aporrea.org, June 24) ants, union leaders, human rights de- If we recall the beginning of the Cu- fenders and other activists. ban Revolution with the assault on the Yet the Organization of American Moncada Barracks in 1953 — in that PHOTO: AVN States doesn’t even mention these crimes case on behalf of the poor and exploit- Venezuelan commune movements march in support of the upcoming Constitutional and instead attacks the Bolivarian gov- ­Assembly and the struggle for the Bolivarian Revolution. ed people, unlike the counterrevolution ernment of Venezuela, calling it repres- in Venezuela that operates to benefit the sive and covering up what is really going “guarimbas” (street clashes) in 2014. while the forces of the Bolivarian state oligarchy and imperialist powers — we on in that country. But the attempts of imperialism to at- are prohibited from using their weapons will realize the importance of an attack It is U.S. imperialism — which in the tack Venezuela through the OAS have so against demonstrators, and may only use on military installations. first place created the OAS in 1948 to sub- far failed. In the last two meetings — on tear gas and water cannons, the coun- Bolivarian people continue to struggle jugate the peoples of Latin America and May 31 in Washington, D.C., and on June terrevolutionary terrorists are attacking The total lack of coverage by the cor- the Caribbean — that is using it now to 19-21 in Cancún — Almagro failed to ob- with deadly homemade weapons. porate media of what is happening in promote an aggressive campaign against tain the majority vote needed to approve The media omit reporting the findings the inner base of the revolution, the poor Venezuela. Since April, when the OAS intervention. These plans also include the of the Sebin, the Bolivarian National In- neighborhoods, is also significant. illegitimately discussed the situation in intention to suspend the processes begun telligence Service of Venezuela, which The actions of the masses concern not Venezuela — in the absence of the Vene- by President Nicolás Maduro on May 1 has been apprehending and dismantling only their demonstrations in defense of zuelan representative — the OAS has con- for the July 30 election of members to the some counterrevolutionary cells. the revolution, but above all their dai- vened two more meetings to justify an in- Constitutional Assembly. The final aim For example, in early June the Sebin ly life and strong decision to guide the tervention in the Bolivarian country. But is to secure the necessary international captured Yeison Rodriguez. An article country on a path of peace, working daily, such discussion violates Article 1 of the diplomatic cover to force foreign inter- from Telesur on June 10 reported that developing skills, building the homeland, OAS Charter itself, which states: vention in Venezuela with the pretext of Rodriguez was “accused of engaging in as people say there. “The OAS has no powers other than solving a “humanitarian crisis.” violent acts and assaults in several com- And, above all, emphatically ­rejecting those expressly conferred on it by the munities in Caracas (the capital) and in the violent processes of the counter­ present Charter, none of whose provi- What the media hides Miranda state (center) .... According to revolution. sions authorize it to intervene in matters This intervention is at the level of “in- the director of Sebin, they obtained ev- It is these core people who are the key to within the domestic jurisdiction of the ternational diplomacy” that under the idence of plans to attack members of success. Hence the importance of the Con- Member States.” guise of seeking “democracy” reflects the Bolivarian National Armed Forces stitutional Assembly, which would give But for its hostile campaign against what’s happening on the ground. Togeth- as a political target, accompanied by re- the people the opportunity to forge their Venezuela, Washington depends on the er with the Venezuelan counterrevolu- cordings of telephone conversations that own future and to deepen the revolution. rightist liar Luis Almagro, who as OAS tionaries, the U.S. is attempting to force Rodriguez held with several people, evi- Secretary General leads that intervention regime change. Under headlines such as dence of their participation in the actions International support with the active support of the govern- “Crisis in Venezuela,” the news media carried out by the treasonous squads fi- The situation in Venezuela is highly ments of Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, Co- want to project the image that “the peo- nanced by the opposition.” complicated. The Bolivarian revolution- lombia and Peru, among others. ple” in general oppose the government. “The Sebin director also said that Pla- ary process and its future are currently This OAS campaign has three basic de- This could not be further from the za Altamira, located in the Chacao mu- the main topic of debates throughout mands: truth. The fact that these media hide nicipality, governed by opposition mayor Latin America and the Caribbean. • Schedule immediate elections what is really happening is in itself a Ramón Muchacho, is the center of oper- Revolutionary groups and parties ana- • Release “political prisoners” crime of gigantic proportions. They try to ations of reactionary opposition sectors. lyze not only present and past events, but • Respect the decisions of the Venezue- justify the right-wing terrorism against “In turn, he warned about the exis- the very behavior of the revolutionary lan National Assembly, whose majori- people who support the revolution and tence of evidence that shows the connec- government — its successes and its er- ty opposes the government and where the vandalism that destroys state insti- tion of the citizen Yeison Rodríguez with rors, its deviations in deepening the rev- right-wing political organizations such tutions providing basic services of trans- the government of Miranda state, which olution toward socialist development — as MUD and Primero Justicia, intel- portation, health care and education to is in the hands of the opposition leader and many even offer recommendations. lectual authors of the days of violence, citizens. As a result of violent actions Henrique Capriles.” These analyzes run from the most crit- are found. that began on April 1, according to re- ical of the government of Nicolás Mad- Bolivarian Armed Forces, We need to remember that the Nation- ports from Venezuela, around 90 people uro to those who excuse all its actions. target of counterrevolution al Electoral Council has already pub- have died and more than a thousand have What unites the great majority of these lished the municipal election agenda been wounded. (tinyurl.com/ya6wqsbe) Violent groups fired incendiary bombs analysts is their defense of the Bolivarian for December 2017, but the opposition The international media omit the de- at the Carlota Air Base on June 22. They process in the face of the U.S. imperialist is trying to unconstitutionally acceler- tails of the cruel methods of the counter- alleged that a young man was shot and onslaught. ate this process. The so-called “polit- revolution’s violent confrontations that killed point blank at the hands of an Today they see this process as crucial ical prisoners” have been responsible illustrate its aggressive nature. The dem- Air Force sergeant guarding the base. for the very survival of the progressive for destabilizing the country and for 43 onstrators are described as peaceful peo- The opposition has spread this story as gains and movements in the region. deaths caused by their calls for violent ple who only want a country in peace. But “proof” of government repression. Along with these debates, there has been After investigations, the person who a great wave of solidarity with the govern­ was identified as responsible is being ment and with the Bolivarian people. subjected to relevant legal processes. These expressions of solidarity include In Defense of However, it’s necessary to emphasize messages, street actions, forums, resolu- the following: What is happening in Ven- tions and statements from governments CUBA ezuela is a strong counterrevolutionary such as Cuba, which show uncondition- attack trying to overthrow the legiti- al support for the revolution. One of the By Leslie Feinberg, author of ‘Stone Butch Blues’ mately constituted government. It is a most recent solidarity actions came not coup attempt. from Latin America but from Mozam- Rainbow Solidarity in Defense of Cuba documents revolutionary How do you respond to an attack on a bique in Africa. Cuba’s inspiring trajectory of progress towards liberation of sexualities, military base? We must point out that the It is up to the progressive movements in genders and sexes. This ground-breaking book reveals how the Cuban counterrevolutionaries have tried at least the United States to increase and expand Revolution has grappled with the pre-revolutionary legacy of 450 years 10 times to attack the base. their solidarity with the Bolivarian revolu- of persecution and exploitation of homosexuality. Felipe Marcano makes an interesting tion by exposing, denouncing and combat- Rainbow Solidarity answers the demonization claim in his article “La Carlota, mili- of the 1959 Cuban Revolution by Washington Rainbow Solidarity in Defense of Cuba is ing the imperialist policy of the Pentagon, tary base under siege; Why insist on its and the CIA, Wall Street and Hollywood an edited compilation of 25 articles from the the White House and Wall Street. by demonstrating that the process of solving Workers World news­paper series by ­assault?” Say no to the intervention of the OAS/ these problems is the forward motion of Feinberg entitled Lavender & Red, The author writes: “The siege of the USA in Venezuela! the revolution. online at workers.org. military base of La Carlota, in the capital Long live the Bolivarian Revolution Available at major online booksellers of the republic, its assault and the seizure and the international peoples’struggle! Page 10 June 29, 2017 workers.org Behind the Grenfell Tower disaster: CAPITALISM

By Kathy Durkin this case was made of aluminum-com- ‘Obamacare’ vs. posite panels encasing flammable insula- Capitalist greed is the root cause of tion. This type of cladding easily ignites, the raging inferno that killed at least 79 allowing a fire to climb quickly up the ex- ‘Trumpsick’ residents of Grenfell Tower in London on terior of the building and spread inward June 14 and left hundreds homeless. It to the apartments. began and spread through unsafe build- Architects and building experts blame This week, Republican senators are it delivers less overall care. ing materials that even some capitalist this flammable cladding for the confla- squabbling over the details of just how This mammoth industry often fails to countries have barred from use. gration. they plan to remove more than 20 mil- produce health. It always produces prof- The British government is guilty of Arconic, a cladding manufacturer, lion people from health insurance cover- its: profits for private insurance com- neglect and prioritizing cost-cutting admitted on June 22 that its flammable age. That’s really what their plan to re- panies, for private hospital owners, for above all in maintaining and renovating panels were used in Grenfell Tower. A peal the Affordable Care Act means. pharmaceutical cartels and for medical the high-rise building. Of lesser — or no mere $6,377 more would have purchased As of June 26, they haven’t passed equipment manufacturers. — importance to the British rulers was non-combustible cladding for the entire their bill. What will happen if they do? The drive for ever increasing profits ensuring safe public housing for the mul- building! In brief, it would remove people determines what services are offered, tinational working-class and poor fam- An extensive June 25 New York Times from Medicaid and close down nursing what are delivered, who gets them and ilies, including many immigrants, who article on the disaster points to “failure of homes. It would remove millions of poor who is denied them. lived there. government oversight, a refusal to heed women from care that has been provided While the ACA succeeded in giving Protesters, including survivors, com- warnings” and corporate-friendly Con- by Planned Parenthood at women’s clin- more than 20 million previously unin- munity members and other progressive servative and Labor governments’ drive ics in places where no other such care sured people access to health insurance, forces immediately mobilized to demand “to free businesses from the burden of is available. It would close clinics that it did so by expanding Medicaid and that the empty luxury housing in that area safety regulations.” Fire safety laws were treat people addicted to opioids — drugs subsidizing insurance companies. It did house all survivors of the catastrophe. weakened and fire inspections reduced. whose overdoses killed 58,000 people in nothing to control the prices and profits Labour members of Parliament called for Pro-business politicians decided that “cost 2016. of the health care industry. uninhabited housing in wealthy Kensing- concerns outweighed the risks of flamma- To rub salt in the untreated wounds of So the second step is to fight for what ton, where Grenfell Tower was located, to ble materials to be used in façades.” the people, the ACA’s replacement would is called a single-payer system. It not be provided for them. Calls resounded Safe housing is a right! cut taxes for the rich and even more for only expands access to care, it eliminates for Conservative Prime Minister Theresa the super-rich. It would shift costs for excess administrative costs imposed by May’s resignation and for criminal pros- About 800 households were evacuat- health care and health insurance to peo- private insurance companies — includ- ecutions of those responsible for the fire. ed on June 23 from Chalcots’ five public ple who can afford it least. ing their profits. In capitalist countries People came from all over Britain to housing high-risers after fire inspectors Whatever the ACA’s shortcomings, where such a system exists, there is more express their solidarity with the victims. determined that the buildings were dan- what the current president, Paul Ryan control of costs for procedures and med- Across the country and worldwide, people gerous. The British Guardian newspa- and the congressional Republicans are icines. expressed outrage at the British govern- per reported on June 26 that, to date, doing by “repealing and replacing” it Medicare, available to most people in ment’s callous disregard for human life. 75 housing towers across England had would prolong suffering and condemn to the U.S. over 65 years old and some peo- May and her Tory colleagues were been found to have unsafe cladding in death hundreds of thousands of people ple with disabilities, provides a model. shaken to the core by this crisis and the post-Grenfell Tower fire inspections. in the United States. Single-payer is a version of “Medicare domestic and global reaction. The gov- Diane Abbott, Labour Party MP and Thirteen white male senators debated for all” that is easily understandable and ernment quickly announced that it had shadow home secretary, blamed the and drafted the new bill behind closed already has polling support from a third purchased 68 apartments in the posh Conservative government for the disas- doors. These millionaire senators — of those asked. Kensington Row complex for those dis- ter, saying hundreds died. She stressed: whose own health care and that of their Workers World supports real socialist placed by the fire. (Guardian, June 21) “Grenfell Tower is not just an accident. families is guaranteed — thus avoided medical care. This can only take place in For years, Grenfell Tower residents Those hundreds of people who died are having their contempt for the poor aired a socialist society that removes profits as had complained of the 24-story build- a direct consequence of Tory attitudes in before the population. the driving force of this industry, prof- ing’s dangers — no alarm system, no social [public] housing. The Tories think But the senators finally showed their its that increase the costs of medicines, sprinklers, no fire escapes, no evacua- people in social housing are second-class contempt publicly when they had the Cap- equipment and care. That’s why we fight tion plan and only one exit. Showing dis- citizens … and they are offering them itol cops brutally expel the courageous for a socialist society that places all the dain for the tenants, the Kensington and second-class standards of safety.” (Inde- people with disabilities who protested. means of production into the hands of Chelsea Borough Council, the building’s pendent, June 24) The best first step this summer of 2017 the workers. owner, and its management company, ig- In 1987, Abbott was the first Black is to mobilize the majority of the people What faces the U.S. workers now is a nored them. Racism and class contempt woman elected to Parliament, and still who want to stop Congress from elimi- murderous attack, an attempt to replace factored into their neglect. faces racism and misogyny. nating the ACA. the ACA — also called Obamacare — Residents’ complaints grew louder Fire survivors, community members Even with the ACA, the U.S. capital- with “Trumpsick.” If workers here can in 2016, when a contractor, the Rydon and progressive activists are seeking the ist health care industry produces more mobilize first to stop that attack, we can Group, refurbished Grenfell Towers, cut- truth about the number of casualties. profits than care delivery. This lucrative then move to fighting for “Medicare for ting costs at every corner to maximize Many people suspect a cover-up, with profit center costs over $3 trillion, 17.8 all.” In that struggle, Workers World will profits. Dangerous work imperiled ten- information being withheld to assuage percent of the gross national product. continue to expose the pernicious role of ants during the renovation. Unsafe ma- growing anger and “unrest,” says La- That’s nearly double the profit propor- capitalism that puts the drive for profits terials were used to cover the building’s bour MP David Lammy. There is concern tion in Britain, Germany or Canada. And before the care of the people. façade. Called “cladding,” the material in about the status of apartment subletters, visitors and undocumented immigrants, whose families fear deportation if they inquire about their relatives. John McDonnell, Labor Party shadow Come out for Pride! chancellor, said the victims were “mur- dered by political decisions” made over recent decades. He cited austerity mea- sures, such as the closing of fire stations COME OUT FOR WORKERS WORLD! and elimination of 10,000 firefighters. (Guardian, June 25) June is Pride month, with rallies and bin’s 1976 book, “Roots of Lesbian and fight for the liberation of LGBTQ people, British capitalists, including land- marches all over the world commemorat- Gay Oppression: A Marxist View” (World it’s time to join the struggle against cap- lords, aim to maximize profits. Building ing the 48th anniversary of the histor- View Forum, third ed., 1993). Drawing italist exploitation and help build Work- expensive housing for the rich is very lu- ic Stonewall Rebellion. Workers World on Frederick Engels and Dorothy Ballan ers World newspaper. crative. Public housing is a low priority, has a proud history of reporting on and to provide a dialectical materialist expla- We invite you to join the WW Sup- with costs minimized and safety coming participating in the living struggle for nation of LGBTQ oppression, McCubbin porter Program, set up 40 years ago to last. Profits trump human need, even hu- LGBTQ justice and equality. In the fore- shows how early communal societies ac- help us publish anti-racist, anti-sexist, man life. front these days is fighting for trans cepted all forms of human interrelations. pro-LGBTQ, working-class truth, and Only continuing struggle will bring and gender nonconforming people, like But after the development of surpluses to build the many campaigns needed to justice for the Grenfell Tower victims. making sure youth and adults can use and then male supremacy, rigid rules crush capitalism and usher in socialism. the public bathrooms of their choice and governing gender and sexuality became Write checks to Workers World and mail ending the increased violent attacks on the norm. That’s what we’re fighting to them, with your name and address, to Capitalism at a Dead End and murders of trans women of color. end today. 147 W. 24th St., 2nd Floor, New York, NY Job destruction, overproduction Workers World made an early and vital That analysis drives Workers World’s 10011. Or donate online at workers.org/ and crisis in the high-tech era theoretical contribution to the LGBTQ view that the LGBTQ struggle is a vital donate/. We are grateful for your help in struggle with publication of WW con- component in the overall struggle to end building the revolutionary press in the LowWageCapitalism.com tributor and staff member Bob McCub- capitalist oppression. So if you want to U.S. Available at all major online booksellers. workers.org June 29, 2017 Page 11 Cuba: Refuge for U.S. civil rights fighters

By Chris Fry of the Black Liberation Army, was in a car months in solitary confinement in two she published her autobiography, and stopped by New Jersey state troopers. A separate men’s prisons subject to con- in 1997, she wrote the book “Still Black, On June 16, Donald Trump, while shootout broke out. One trooper and the ditions totally unbefitting any prisoner. Still Strong” with Dhoruba bin Wahad announcing the rollback of President car’s driver were killed, and Shakur was Many more months were spent in solitary and Mumia Abu-Jamal. Obama’s modest improvements in U.S. severely wounded. confinement in mixed or all-women’s Black Lives Matter co-founder Alicia imperialism’s posture towards revolu- Another trooper initially testified that prisons. Presently, after protracted liti- Garza wrote: “When I use Assata’s pow- tionary Cuba, demanded Cuba return Shakur shot and killed the cop, but then gation, she is confined at Clinton Correc- erful demand in my organizing work, I freedom fighter Assata Shakur. admitted he lied. In her trial, it was re- tional Facility for Women in maximum always begin by sharing where it comes As part of the Cuban government’s vealed that Shakur never even touched security. She has never on any occasion from, sharing about Assata’s significance overall response to Trump’s attack, For- a weapon let alone fired one. The police been punished for any infraction of pris- to the Black Liberation Movement, what eign Minister Bruno Rodríguez rebuffed bullets that pierced Shakur had severed on rules which might in any way justify its political purpose and message is, Trump’s demand: “Regarding the issue nerves in her arms and shoulders, mak- such cruel or unusual punishment.” and why it’s important in our context.” of the so-called ‘U.S. fugitives in Cuba,’ ing it impossible for her to fire a weapon. Assata Shakur gave birth to her daugh- (thefeministwire.com, Oct. 7, 2014) I can reaffirm that, under our national Nevertheless, an all-white jury, includ- ter, Kakuya Shakur, in 1974. While in the Assata’s pledge affirms: “It is our duty law and international law and the Latin ing five friends and family of N.J. state hospital she was beaten and restrained to fight for our freedom. It is our duty to American tradition, Cuba has granted troopers, convicted Shakur of murder by prison guards. On Nov. 2, 1979, with win. We must love and protect one an- political asylum or refuge to U.S. civil simply because she was present at the the help of BLA members, Assata Shak- other. We have nothing to lose but our rights fighters. Of course these people shootout. She was sentenced to life in ur escaped from the New Jersey Clinton chains.” will not be returned to the United States, prison. Correctional Facility. The FBI and local U.S. imperialism has long sought to which lacks the legal, political, and moral Assata Shakur received horrible treat- police conducted a massive, nationwide reimprison Assata Shakur. New Jersey foundation to demand this.” (telesur.net, ment in prison. In 1979, the United Na- manhunt for Shakur, including warrant- and the federal government have offered June 20) tions Commission on Human Rights less searches through a whole apartment a $2 million bounty for her capture. But In May 1973, Assata Shakur, former wrote: “One of the worst cases is that of building in Harlem. revolutionary Cuba has long stood on the Black Panther Party activist and member Assata Shakur, who spent over twenty In 1984, Shakur managed to reach side of the oppressed people of the U.S. Cuba, where the government immediate- and around the world. No amount of bul- ly granted her asylum. She was reunit- lying by Boss Trump is going to shake its Haitian workers strike ed with her daughter in 1985. In 1987, resolve. for $12.50 a day Milwaukee says By G. Dunkel A letter signed by André Apaid, an ‘Hands Off Cuba & Venezuela!’ owner of Interamerican Wovens SA, For the past few years, workers in Haiti’s a textile company with 1,500 employ- textile sector have been struggling to raise ees, justified the firings by claiming the their minimum wage from 350 gourdes actions of the union leaders forced the (currently about $4.75) to 800 gourdes workers to go out. It ignored the real and (about $12.50) a day and to have the eight- substantial support for these strikes. hour day respected by employers. Apaid was a leader of the Group of 184 Haiti is one of the poorest countries which financed the 2004 coup against in the world, according to U.N. statistics. Jean-Bertrand Aristide. Less than 30 percent of Haitians have The role of the United States in all these a regular job, relying on catch-as-catch maneuvers and manipulations is not al- -can to survive. Still, inspired by May ways obvious. It’s well known that these Day, workers in Port-au-Prince’s Sonapi factories produce for large U.S. compa- Industrial Park, Carrefour neighborhood, nies, such as Levi Jeans and Fruit of the at the airport, and joined by workers in Loom. But programs that give such fac- the Caracol Industrial Park in northeast tories special tax and customs benefits in Haiti, walked out repeatedly in May un- the U.S. market, and the earlier U.S. State der the leadership of their unions. Department opposition to raising the WW PHOTO Even though police attacked the strikes, minimum wage, are not well known at all. Defending socialism, Cuba and Venezuela in front of U.S. Federal Courthouse, and the bosses and the political establish- In 2008, Congress passed a generous, Milwaukee, June 24. ment, including President ­Jovenel Moïse, duty-free trade bill called HOPE II. And soundly condemned them, the bosses the U.S. Agency for International Devel- By WW Milwaukee bureau occur despite Trump’s, and before him felt that enough wasn’t being done. Lost opment provided technical assistance Obama’s, rhetoric and lecturing other na- ­production cost them millions. and training programs to Haitian textile In a spirited display of international- tions on “human rights.” In an attempt to defuse the situation, companies to help them take advantage ism, dozens of Milwaukee residents par- Just days before the June 24 rally, the President Moïse appointed a new council of the new legislation and low-cost man- ticipated in a “Trump, Hands Off Cuba police officer who murdered 23-year-old to study the minimum wage issue, with ufacturing for companies like Levi Jeans. and Venezuela” rally June 24 at the U.S. African-American Sylville Smith last Au- both union and bosses’ representatives In 2011, Haiti Liberté, based on se- Federal Courthouse. gust in Milwaukee, was acquitted by a included. cret U.S. Embassy cables provided by Speakers from the Milwaukee Coalition jury. Smith is one of dozens of Black and That still was not enough for the boss- WikiLeaks, was able to establish that Against Trump, Freedom Road Socialist Brown people the Milwaukee police have es. They fired 47 leaders of the job ac- “The U.S. Embassy in Haiti worked closely Organization, Latin American Solidarity killed, raped and terrorized with impuni- tions in Port-au-Prince and 15 leaders with factory owners contracted by Levi’s, Committee, Stop the Wars Committee, ty in just the last few years. at Caracol. These workers were from a Hanes, and Fruit of the Loom to aggres- Wisconsin Bail Out the People Movement, In socialist Cuba, on the contrary, coalition of independent labor unions, sively block a paltry minimum wage in- Wisconsin Coalition to Normalize Rela- people of African descent, Indigenous GOSSTRA/CTSP, which represent textile crease for Haitian assembly zone workers.” tions with Cuba and Workers World Party and other oppressed people, women and workers and are associated with Batay Haitian workers must fight not only their denounced the Trump administration’s LGBTQ people are guaranteed basic hu- Ouvriye (Workers Struggle), which fights own bosses and politicians, but the U.S. latest efforts to tighten the U.S. blockade man rights. Efforts are ongoing to over- for workers’ rights. foreign policy establishment as well. against socialist Cuba, to escalate attacks come 500 years of colonialism and neo- on people’s Venezuela and to support the colonialism on the island. Similar efforts banks’ takeover of Puerto Rico. are being made in Venezuela. The rally honored the late president of Speakers noted how Venezuela now Venezuela, Hugo Chávez. As buses driv- uses its oil profits to benefit the poor and en by members of Amalgamated Transit working people of that country. Even in Local 998 rolled by the rally site, speak- the United States when oil prices were ers noted that current President Nicolás high, many workers benefited from the Maduro is a former bus driver. free or discounted oil that Venezuela’s Speakers and literature portrayed state-owned company CITGO provided. Cuba and Venezuela as beacons for the Especially during winter, access to this world’s poor and oppressed, highlighting subsidized heating oil was a life-and- their numerous advances in housing, lit- death matter. eracy, health care, food, culture, sports, In the spirit of the late President of LGBTQ and women’s rights, food produc- Cuba, Fidel Castro, the June 24 Milwau- tion and more. kee rally brought together a united front In contrast, within the USA, oppressed of poor and working people to declare to Haitian textile workers on strike for higher wages, better working conditions, people in particular suffer daily from lack Trump and his Wall Street backers: End access to social services. of access to basic human needs and face the U.S. Blockade of Cuba Now! Hands PHOTO: TELESUR epidemic levels of police terror. These Off Venezuela! U.S. Out of Puerto Rico! 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. 59 Núm. 26 29 de junio 2017 $1 Oscar Lopez Rivera, página 8, en inglés.­ Venezuela resiste ataques OEA/EUA

Por Berta Joubert-Ceci país y de 43 muertes provocadas por sus la contrarrevolución se aprovecha para vención extranjera para derrocar al gobi- convocatorias a las violentas “guarim- agredir con armas mortales de fabri- erno y la institucionalidad republicana”. Mientras en México el gobierno de bas” en 2014. cación casera. (aporrea.org, 24 de junio) Enrique Peña Nieto ignora las justas ex- Pero los intentos del imperialismo de No reportan por ejemplo los hallazgos Si recordamos el inicio de la Revolu­ igencias de las madres y padres de los atacar a Venezuela a través de la OEA de la Sebin, el Servicio Bolivariano de ción cubana con el asalto al Cuartel Mon- 43 normalistas de Ayotzinapa y sigue hasta ahora han fracasado. En las últi- Inteligencia Nacional de Venezuela que cada, – en ese caso a favor del pueblo matando, amenazando e interviniendo mas dos reuniones – en mayo en Wash- ha ido aprehendiendo y desarticulando pobre y explotado, a diferencia de la con- con escuchas ilegales – como en el caso ington y en Cancún del 19-21 de junio algunas células contrarrevolucionarias. trarrevolución en Venezuela que opera a Pegasus, que involucra al gobierno is- – no se ha logrado la mayoría necesaria Por ejemplo, a principios de junio cap- beneficio de la oligarquía y los poderes raelí en la venta al gobierno mexicano de para aprobar los planes injerencistas, que turaron a Yeison Rodríguez. Un artículo imperialistas - nos daremos cuenta de la “software” para la vigilancia de periodis- incluyen además la intención de suspend- de Telesur del 10 de junio informó que importancia de un ataque a instalaciones tas; en Honduras se siguen asesinando er los procesos del 30 de julio para elegir éste fue “acusado de generar actos vio- militares. activistas; y en Colombia continúan las miembros a la Asamblea Constituyente lentos y asedios en varias comunidades Pueblo bolivariano sigue en la lucha amenazas y muertes contra indígenas, que el presidente Nicolás Maduro pro- de Caracas (capital) y del estado Miran- Es también significativo la total falta campesinos, sindicalistas, defensores de puso el pasado 1 de mayo. El propósito da (centro)”…. Se obtuvo prueba de los de cobertura por los medios corporativos DDHH y otras/os activistas, la OEA ni final es lograr el resguardo diplomático planes de ataque a los integrantes de la de lo que sucede en las entrañas, en los les menciona, ocupándose solo de atacar internacional necesario para forzar una FANB (Fuerzas Armadas Nacionales barrios pobres, las acciones del verdade- al gobierno bolivariano de Venezuela til- intervención de fuerzas extranjeras en Bolivarianas) como objetivo político”, ro pueblo: no solo de sus manifestaciones dándolo de represor y ocultando lo que Venezuela bajo la excusa de solucionar escribió el director del Sebin, acompaña- defensa de la revolución, sino sobre su realmente sucede en ese país. una “crisis humanitaria”. do de grabaciones de las conversaciones diario vivir y su fuerte decisión de en- Es Estados Unidos, a través de esta telefónicas que sostuvo Rodríguez con caminar al país por un sendero de paz, organización que creó en el 1948 para Lo que los medios ocultan varias personas, en las que se evidencia laborando diariamente, desarrollando someter a los pueblos de Latinoamérica Esto es a nivel de “diplomacia interna- su participación en las acciones desar- capacidades, construyendo patria, como y el Caribe, el impulsor de una agresiva cional”, que bajo el disfraz de búsqueda rolladas por las escuadras sedicionistas suelen decir allá. Y sobre todo, rechazan- campaña contra Venezuela. Desde abril, de “democracia”, refleja lo que en el ter- financiadas por la oposición”. do tajantemente los procesos violentos de cuando ilegítimamente la OEA discutió reno, EUA junto a la contrarrevolución “El director del Sebin también de- la contrarrevolución. la situación de Venezuela – lo cual va en está haciendo para forzar un cambio de nunció que la Plaza Altamira, ubicada en Es este pueblo quien tiene la clave contra el artículo 1 de la misma Carta de régimen en ese país. Bajo titulares como el municipio Chacao, gobernado por el del éxito. De ahí la importancia de la la OEA que dice: “La OEA no tiene más “crisis en Venezuela”, los medios noticio- alcalde opositor Ramón Muchacho, con- Asamblea Constituyente, que daría la facultades que aquellas que expresa- sos quieren proyectar la imagen de que stituye el centro de las operaciones de oportunidad al pueblo de ser su propio mente le confiere la presente Carta, nin­ es “el pueblo” en general quien se opone sectores reaccionarios de la oposición. forjador del futuro y de profundizar la guna de cuyas disposiciones la autoriza a al gobierno. “A su vez, alertó sobre la existencia de revolución. intervenir en asuntos de la jurisdicción Nada más lejos de la verdad. El hecho pruebas que evidencian la vinculación interna de los Estados miembros” – ha de que estos medios oculten lo que real- del ciudadano Yeison Rodríguez con la Apoyo internacional convocado dos reuniones más para ava- mente ocurre, constituye de por sí un gobernación del estado Miranda, que está La situación de Venezuela es pero- lar su intervención en el país bolivariano. crimen de proporciones gigantescas, en manos del dirigente opositor Henrique grulladamente altamente complicada. Para eso cuenta con el derechista y men- pues intentan justificar el vandalismo de Capriles”. (tinyurl.com/ycdvgrvt) El proceso revolucionario bolivariano y tiroso Luis Almagro quien la lidera junto la derecha en contra de personas afines su futuro está siendo el tema principal al acompañamiento activo de los gobier- a la revolución y la destrucción de insti- Fuerzas Armadas Bolivarianas, en los debates actuales en todo Latino- nos de México, Argentina, Brasil, Colom- tuciones del estado que ofrecen servicios blanco de la contrarrevolución américa y el Caribe. Los entes revolucio- bia y Perú, entre otros. básicos de transportación, salud y edu- El jueves 22 de junio, grupos violentos narios, analizan no solamente los hechos Sus demandas son básicamente tres: cación a la ciudadanía. Como resultado arremetieron con bombas incendiarias presentes y pasados, sino la actuación un calendario electoral inmediato; liber- de estas acciones violentas que comen- contra la Base Aérea Carlota. Un joven misma del gobierno revolucionario – sus ar “presos políticos”; y respetar las deci- zaron el 1 de abril, según reportes des- opositor resultó muerto presuntamente aciertos y sus errores, sus desviaciones siones de la Asamblea Nacional de Vene- de Venezuela ya han muerto cerca de 90 por disparo a manos de un sargento de la en alcanzar la profundización de la revo- zuela, esta última con mayoría opositora personas y han resultado heridas más de Policía Aérea que custodiaba la base. La lución hacia el desarrollo socialista, e in- al gobierno, donde se encuentran orga- mil. (tinyurl.com/ya6wqsbe) oposición ha difundido este hecho como cluso muchos ofrecen recomendaciones. nizaciones como la MUD y Primero Jus- No relatan los detalles de los métodos “prueba” de la represión del gobierno. Estos análisis van desde los más críti- ticia, autores intelectuales de las violen- crueles de esas confrontaciones violen- Tras investigaciones, se identificó al re- cos del gobierno de Nicolás Maduro, has- tas jornadas. Hay que recordar que ya el tas de la contrarrevolución que indican sponsable quien está siendo sometido a ta los que disculpan todas sus acciones. Consejo Nacional Electoral ha publicado su naturaleza agresora. La pintan como los procesos pertinentes de ley. Lo que sí une a la gran mayoría de estos la agenda de elecciones para diciembre, manifestantes pacíficos que solo quieren Sin embargo, hay que resaltar lo sigui- es la defensa del proceso bolivariano sin embargo la oposición intenta aceler- un país en paz. Mientras a las fuerzas del ente. Lo que está sucediendo en Venezu- frente a la embestida estadounidense im- ar inconstitucionalmente este proceso. Estado se les prohíbe el uso de armas en ela es un fuerte ataque contrarrevolucio- perialista. Hoy este proceso lo ven como Los llamados “presos políticos” han sido las manifestaciones, pudiendo solo usar nario que intenta derrocar al gobierno crucial para la misma sobrevivencia de responsables de desestabilización del gases lacrimógenos y cañones de agua, legítimamente constituido, un intento de los avances y movimientos progresistas golpe de estado. de la región. ¿Cómo se responde frente a un ataque Aparte de estos debates, ha habido una a una base militar? gran ola de solidaridad con el gobierno y El capitalismo en Aquí debemos señalar que los contrar- con el pueblo bolivariano. Estas expre- revolucionarios han tratado de atacar la siones solidarias abarcan desde men- un callejón sin salida base al menos en 10 ocasiones. sajes, acciones en la calle, variados foros y La tesis de este libro es que la crisis económica, que se inició Es interesante el postulado que Felipe resoluciones, hasta postulados de gobier- en agosto de 2007, marcó un punto de inflexión en la historia Marcano expone en su artículo ‘La Car- nos como el de Cuba, que manifiestan un del capitalismo. El autor sostiene que el sistema no se recuper- lota, base militar bajo asedio; ¿por qué apoyo incondicional hacia la revolución. ará, no volverá al ciclo capitalista normal de auge y caída. insistir en su asalto?’ Una de las más recientes acciones de sol- Durante décadas, la clase capitalista ha utilizado la revolu- En él dice el autor: “El asedio a la base idaridad llegó no desde América Latina, ción tecnológica digital para aumentar la productividad del militar de La Carlota, en la capital de sino desde África, en Mozambique. trabajo a un ritmo récord. Menos trabajadores producen más la república, su asalto y toma de las in- Queda a los movimientos progresis- bienes y servicios en menos tiempo con salarios más bajos. El stalaciones por, “pacíficos, indefensos, tas en Estados Unidos, aumentar y ex- resultado es una serie de “recuperaciones sin empleos” que jóvenes”, heroicos manifestantes bus- hace que las cosas vayan aún peor. pandir su solidaridad con la revolución Goldstein utiliza las leyes de la acumulación capitalista de ca: la desmoralización de la tropa, de la bolivariana exponiendo, denunciando y Marx, y la tasa decreciente de ganancia, para demostrar por qué FANB, su descontento y retiro de apoyo combatiendo la política imperialista del el capitalismo global ha llegado finalmente a un punto de inflexión. al Estado Nación, a La Constitución Bo- Pentágono, la Casa Blanca y Wall Street. El continuo estancamiento y el desempleo generalizado provocarán inevitablemente un livariana, una respuesta bélica y contun- ¡No a la intervención de la OEA/EUA resurgimiento de la lucha de clases que no se ve en EE.UU. desde la década de 1930; esta vez se dente del gobierno, un Estado Nación en Venezuela! dirigirá contra el propio sistema. fallido que derive en conmoción nacional ¡Viva la Revolución Bolivariana y la lowwagecapitalism.com e internacional como pretexto a la inter- ­lucha de los pueblos a nivel mundial!