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Quebec may soon fly So what's there to I8.ugb· / its own flag as an about in a world that's -~ independent nation all too serious? Page 3 Page 6 Freedom Socialis 'kite q, /?e¥()/vtiffltJ'! 'fd.1iN':Jltt .

October-December 1995 Volume 16, Number 3 (£.75 UK) $1.00 Push for privatization and free trade - no good for workers, no cure for economy

BY STEVE HOFFMAN Encouraged to borrow money American Free Trade Agreement to develop an export capacity, (NAFT A)-a far cry from Clinton's The high priests of Wall Third World countries then must promised gain of 100,000 jobs. Street have declared a reli­ pay exorbitant interest rates, fall­ Free trade has landed in less gious revival to worship ing further into debt as they bor­ developed countries, such as Mexi­ the twin gods of free trade row money to pay the interest. co, like social napalm. Mexico's and privatization. Though Ultimately, they lose their ability currency chaos illustrates the hair­ the crisis-pitted economic to feed and clothe their people, as trigger instability caused by the landscape looks like Armageddon, fi­ export production chokes off pro­ unregulated flow of capital that nance capital assures us that a resurrec­ duction geared to domestic needs. accompanies free trade. tion is at hand. The double jihad of free trade Following the IMF creed, Big money automatically reacts to a and privatization is meant to re­ Mexico floated short-term bonds slump or a crisis by trying to maintain sanctify a global economy in de­ to payoff long-term debts, in ef­ its gigantic profits above all. It thrives cline by producing more of what fect manufacturing money with­ by sacrificing workers, either by ship­ capitalism creates best: inequality out the backing to maintain its ping their jobs to lower-paid workers between rich countries and poor value. The consequent plunge of abroad. qr by acquiring public services countries, and between rich and the peso devastated its economy. ~d mdusttiesand then laying off work­ poor in~v~ry cou~try. At least a half-Jr.~l1ion workers have ers, busting their unions, and intensify­ lost their jobs, and the govern­ ing speedup. Or it sacrifices workers by Free profiteering. Multi­ ment predicts even bigger waves sacrificing production, closing plants national corporations use free of layoffs in the coming months. and making its money instead by ma­ trade to pit workers of different Inflation is expected to reach 42 nipulating the flow of money itself. countries against one another, in Rally of United Farmworken of Wash. State. percent, while the minimum wage The International Monetary Fund order to drive all wages and condi­ will go up only 10 percent. (lMF) and the World Bank, global tithe­ tions to the same low level. Demands lion U.S. manufacturing jobs have been After the peso disaster, Clinton had takers for the wealthier nations, orga­ for wage increases, health and safety moved overseas since the beginning of to bypass Congress and quickly cobble nize this plunder internationally. Their rules, environmental protections, or the last round of talks under the General together a bailout to the tune of 49.8 "stabilization programs" and "develop­ higher corporate taxes to pay for educa­ Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) billion dollars to avoid a meltdown of ment projects" are meant to insure that tion and social programs are met with in 1986. The government's own statis­ the global financial markets. Third World countries maintain the low­ the threat to move production abroad. tics show that 21,000 U.S. jobs disap­ Currency traders, who control two est pOSition in the global hierarchy. The AFL-CIO estimates that 1.2 mil- peared during the first year of the North to page 4

Dateline Australia International protests detonate against French nudear testing Thousands of demonstrators in Richter scale has not registered such workers won't deliver to French em­ Papeete, Tahiti's capital, dashed with mass upheaval since the movement bassies, and firefighters won't protect police lobbing teargas. They first against the Persian Gulf War. French government property. Many set the airport on fire and then In Australia, 25,000 demonstrators Australians are demanding an end to torche4French government offices. blocked streets in Sydney on the French uranium sales to France...... sident Aspapeete burned, protesters holiday Bastille Day onJuly 14. And on Through the summer, outrage was french pr... Itt across Europe chained themselves Hiroshima Day on August 6, huge an­ voiced by unionists in· PariS, rubber­ ,,,trae;· N!9~;:S~ to French embassies. gry crowds turned out for union-en­ tapper workers in Brasfiia, and surfers 7 sky, Au9·· , . _ At this writing, a general strike is dorsed actions in every capital city and in Hawaii and England. Israel, Japan, on in Tahiti; and .the union repre~ major town. South Africa, Germany, and Fiji were senting Polynesian technicians on Australian high-school students are all sites of protest. In Tahiti, a march BY ALISON THORNE Moruroa itself is threatening a walk­ in the streets in record numbers, postal to pGge 4 out. A strike by these workers could es.pitew.hite~.hot .• OPPOsitiOnOn directly affect France's ability to con­ New Freeway Hall .. every continent, French Presi~ duct the rest of its seven or eight S018 Rainier Ave. S. BULK RATE . dent Jacques Chirac on Sep~ intended tests. u.s. POSTAGE Seattle, WA 98118 tember 5 resumed under­ PAID groundD nuclear tests at· the Moruroa SEATTLE,WA Opponents meet at ground atoll in French-ruled Polynesia. zero. Well before the September 5 ADDRESS CORRECTION REQUESTED PERMIT NO. 1003 This blast, more powerful than the . blast lashed the Pacific;Chirac's plan one. that leveled Hiroshima,. bro lto renew testing just one month after morethanlheMoruroa lag60Jiin ...the>SOth· anniversary of the U.S. SOuthP~i,fic to a boiling point. It traIls;.. nuclear atta.cks on Hiroshima and fOnnedwhat had been a.~teadily gr~~ .··l\fagasa .was drawi~fire from envi­ ingptotestmoyementJnto anunCC?n+ .. ) ... andanti:"colo:nialt~ts·· trollabre~plo~.Qn.· .·.i············.i··.~k~,·ln~~:c~~~{tl1~Wli~caJ: YQOO 3Jli 2 Freedom SOcialist October -December 1995 In This Issue Vol. 16, No. 3 October-December 1995 Publishers play the game Zapatlstas ask the people 6 with two sets of rules A recent international BY SANDY NELSON A TNT story the next day dreds are signing postcards urg­ plebiscite supported the quoted both Gillenwater de­ ing direct state Supreme Court Zapatistas' demands. Our can't help but be amused fending Blethen's corporate review of Hogan's rulings. editorial advocates adding when media moguls argue giveaway and me attacking their Readers know that newspa­ with a straight face that a double standard. pers are run to make profits, "jViva el socialismo!" to reporter's political activi­ their program. En espanol I Incredibly, next to this ar­ and that's what causes bias. If ties off the job compromise a ticle was an outrageously self­ anything, people believe that yen ingles. newspaper' s II appearance of serving sidebar called "Worker's journalists are too detached and objectivity" while apublisher's Views Don't Represent News unfeeling. The last thing they activism does not. Tribune." It chronicled many of want is for reporters to become What isn't funny is that what the paper obviously con­ more removed from or igno­ What? Socialism In America? 7 many publishers use this argu­ siders my most provocative in­ rant of the communities they ment to disenfranchise news­ volvements as a radical, like my cover. Of course, why not, room employees. My employer advocacy for Black poli tical pris­ Readers want a press that is and here's how, says Clara is one of them. oner Mumia Abu-Jamal. Gillen­ informed, interested, respon­ Fraser. Everything you The News Tribune of Tacoma, water's political activities, sive and responsible. So do I. always wanted to know Washington banished me from which would merit a special That is the kind of reporter I but were too skeptical to reporting and transferred me to section, went unmentioned. was and that I intend to be ask about setting up a post­ copy editing in 1990. Why? Be­ In hearings in my case in again. cause management objected to Pierce County Superior Court Meanwhile, the mountain of capitalist society. my off-duty work for a city ini­ this year, TNT lawyers claimed hypocrisy grows. tiative protecting gay men and that when a reporter is an acti v- For example: Kelso Gillen­ lesbians from job and housing water agrees to chair the state International Economy discrimination. Higher Educa­ Dateline Australia 1 Global trends 1 TNT said I could tion Coordi­ Dateline Canada 3 Privatization stories 4 return to report­ nating Board - Obituaries 7 Public utilities 5 ing only if I but continues to dropped out of bar me from U.S. Editorial politics totally. public dem­ Zapatistas 6 I refused. onstrations. Sandy Nelson 2 How dare they And TNT repri­ Voices of Color: Features order me to re­ mands me in Blacks and Jews 8 Humor 6 linquish consti­ 1994 for pub­ Wall Street Journal 8 Letters 7 tutional rights licly testifying at Mumia Abu-Jamal 8 Clara Fraser 7 that they them­ a state Senate selves would committee on never give up! behalf of gay In 1993, with rights - and Next Issue backing from then in 1995 se­ State of U.S. education. Racism, sexism, ignorance and the American cretly lobbies. strife: why are the schools in such bad shape? Teachers, Civil Liberties the same legis­ students and parents discuss what can be done. Union, I sued. ist, the public will suspect bias lature in an attempt to rescind in everything he or she writes. a law that is one of the linch­ Stadium throws spotlight They presented the newspaper pins of my case! (We counter­ on hypocrisy. In September, as a custodian of the public organized-openly-and they TNT escalated the battle, print­ trust, obligated to skewer the didn't succeed.) ing a redbaiting "news" article free-speech rights of its work­ that listed my recent political ers. Their oratory about objec­ Join a major-league team. activities and presented their tivity and credibility would Such dirty pool only strength­ side of my lawsuit. What trig­ bring tears to the eyes of a per­ ens my resolve to fight until all gered this? My criticism of their son who didn't know better. workers in Washington - and high-profile support for a con­ It apparently convinced all journalists in the corporate troversial ballot measure. Judge Vicki Hogan. In January, media - are free to exerdse the Along with his counterparts she ruled that the state consti­ same rights as their employers. at Seattle's two daily papers, tution doesn't apply to people I've been sustained for five TNT publisher Kelso Gillenwa­ who work for private employ­ years by the generous support ter is promoting taxpayer fund­ ers. In May, she ruled that a of people who share these goals, ing for a fancy new stadium for campaign-reform law protect­ and I'm relying on your ongo­ the Mariners baseball club. ing against job discrimination ing help in order to win. Their partisanship reached new because of people's political ac­ We are looking for organiza­ heights when Seattle Times pub­ tivities doesn't apply to people tions to sign on to a "friend of lisher Frank Blethen announced who work for newspapers. the court" brief being written he was giving free ads worth by the National Lawyers Guild $40,000 to the stadium cause! What do readers want? in Seattle. If a group you belong At a Sept. 7 press conference The public is not so easily im­ to is interested, please write to called by an anti-stadium group, pressed by em pty rhetoric about the National Lawyers Guild at I denounced the publishers' sacred standards. Sixteen thou­ 2005 Smith Tower, WA 98104, hypocrisy in cheerIeading the sand people around the world or call them at (206)622-5144. ballpark effort while politically have petitioned the TNT to re­ Let's hit this one out of the benching their employees. turn me to reporting, and hun- park! 0

Staff In the Freedom Socialist Managing Editor Production Business Manager You Will NOT find: CyniCism, fence-sifting, Andrea Bauer Manager Wendy McPherson Kathleen Merrigan or hand-wringingl Staff Writer Camera Linda AverllJ Design II II Printing Ilustration Sara Hospador You WILL find: Humor, att.tude, and a workingclass Editors Su Docekal Advertising Services Yolanda Alaniz VALCO Graphics VIsion for everyone from Teamsters to drag queens! Doug Barnes Photo Editor Clara Fraser Steve Hoffman Guerry Hoddersen ., ------~- Henry Noble Translator @ Janet Sutherland Jorge Gonzalez ®~52 SubSCribe tod~1 Only $5 for one year (4 issues).

The Freedom Socialist (ISSN 0272-4367) is published quarterly by the NAME ADDRESS Freedom Socialist Party, New Freeway Hall, 5018 Rainier Avenue South, Seattle, WA 98118. Phone: 206-722-2453. Fax: 206-723-7691. E-mail: [email protected]. SubSCriptions: I-year $5.00 (institutions $1O.OO), CITY STATEjPROVINCE ZIPjPOSTAL CODE COUNTRY 2-year Supporting Sub $25.00, 3-year Sustaining Sub $50.00, 5-year Spon­ soring Sub $100.00. Add $5.00 for overseas airmail. Back copies $.75 each. Send checks or money orders to: Freedom Socialist, 5018Rainier Ave. South, Seattle, WA98118, U.S.A. Add $5 Checks or money orders to Freedom Socialist at the address above. For for overseas mail. Australian residents: $6.00 (AUD) to Freedom Socialist, P.O. Box 266, West Brunswick, VIC Australia and Canada, see adjoining ad. 3055. Canadian residents: $6.00 (CAD) to Freedom Socialist, 2278 E. 24 Ave., Vancouver, BC V5N 2V2. October -December 1995 Freedom Socialist 3

Dateline Canada ..>1&& Quebec independence a step forward for all workers in the Americas BY MARCEL HATCH class unity to combat the government's relentless austerity drive. econd-class citizens in their own Cohesion is certainly needed. But it is land - that has been the lot of Canada's exploitative ruling class, Quebec's French-speaking major­ backed by the federal government, that Sity, the Quebecois, since the 1759 divides ordinary Canadians, not the British victory over the French on the independence movement. Plains of Abraham outside Quebec City. Unity is possible only among equals. Now the residents of Canada's largest Solidarity can be realized only when province, who are one-third of Canada's leftists of the oppressor nation -Canada population, confront an opportunity to - break with their government to sup­ establish a separate national state. Amid port Quebec's national liberation. a groundswell of support for sovereignty, provincial First Minister Jacques Pari­ A steppingstone toward ending zeau has put forward a referendum on exploitation. Independence would the issue for October 30. shake the Canadian and U.S. capitalists Parizeau's Parti Quebecois represents to the core, inspire other workers and the interests of Quebec's business own­ strugglers for indigenous rights through­ ers, not its workers and Native First out the hemisphere, and embolden the Nations. Once Quebec is self-govern­ Quebecois to reach new heights in their ing, however, the same economic and uninterrupted quest for justice. social dissatisfactions that are prompt­ If the referendum wins, Quebekers ing the Quebecois to embrace indepen­ can begin immediately to wrest the fruits dence will inevitably sour them on "their of independence - industry, land, and own" capitalist class and its politicians. owned by the U.S. or English Canada. Native bands, many of whom are resources-from Parizeau and his crowd. Francophones have endured the anglophone (English-speaking), tend to How? One way would be to demand A nation founded on national worst of what Canada has to offer: the be suspicious of independence because formation of a constituent assembly with oppression. Wars over Canada be­ lowest wages, hardest jobs, highest un­ its "official" champion, the Parti Quebe­ broad authority, made up of elected tween France and England ended soon employment, dirtiest slums, most infe­ cois, does not want to grant indigenous delegates from the labour,left, and mass after the French defeat in 1759. In 1867, rior schools - and, above all, persecu­ peoples the same right to self-determi­ movements, with representation from Britain brought the provinces together tion of their language. nation that the PQ itself seeks. Native nations. This body could pro­ into a new federation with the formal Quebekers responded by becoming Polls show Quebec as a whole divid­ pose a draft constitution, settle Native right of self-government. It hoped there­ Canada's most militant and anti-impe­ ed in half over separation. No wonder land claims fairly, nationalize banking by to block U.S. annexation of Canada, rialist subjects. They overwhelmingly Quebekers are hesitant: each time the and industry, and supervise negotia­ assimilate the still-rebellious French­ refused to fight in both world wars. question arises, Canada bombards them tions with Canada. speaking population (francophones), They are the most highly unionized with warnings of political, economic, Another would be for labour and its and exterminate the Native bands. workforce in North America, at over 40 and even military retaliation. allies to hold their own convention to ,:. mdians:, .francophones; and M~is percent. ~heyledtheCanadian struggle If Quebekers choose autonomy, Ca­ develop and push for a workingclass (people of mixed Native and European for the eight-hour day and initiated its nadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien program for new Quebec. ancestry) aU mounted challenges to the abortion-rights campaign. and his associates threaten to deny them Whatever path they take, Quebec's new state. Their protests were put down, Quebec labour is in the forefront of jobs in English Canada and destroy their workers and First Nations will not be but the struggle of Canada's national the push for independence. Also favour­ economy by forcing the new nation to truly independent until they rid them­ minorities for self-determination was ing sovereignty are Quebec's progres­ make payments on Canada's debt. selves of foreign and domestic profi­ far from over. sive activists, most of its Left, and a teers. But precisely because indepen­ The Quebecois are a historically de­ minority of its capitalists. Opposing Burden rests on anglopbone Lett. dence by itself will not solve their prob­ veloped community sharing a common separation are the federal government, Most anglophone left groups acknowl­ lems, they will not stop there. With language, culture, territory, and eco­ the federal New Democratic Party, the edge Quebec's status as a nation, but increased confidence, they will fight on nomic life - in other words, a nation, ultra-right Reform Party, most of the refuse to support independence. They until they achieve a decent life for all. [] and one that is three times the size of English-speaking Left, the U.S. estab­ rationalize this capitulation to "greater France and rich in resources. Seventy to lishment, and the capitalist majority Canada" chauvinism by invoking the Thanks to eibie Weizfeld in Quebec 80 percent of their industry, however, is both inside and outside Quebec. urgent necessity for maximum working- for contribUting to this report .

... Healing

from page 8 underpinning for the Jewish homeland that robbed Palestinians of their home­ land - "is simply to support affirmative The inspiring story action on the international scale." The authors fail to see that the na­ ofa notable tionalism of both Zionism and the Na­ tion of Islam is as dangerous to their fight for justice- own communities as it is to others. This is because reactionary nationalism and a model for defeating makes enemies out of people who should be allies and keeps oppressed people harassment lawsuits. hostile to each other and segregated. When nine Seattle radicals were sued by a Just do it! West and Lerner are a big disappointment. They flirt with Marx­ neo-McCarthyite, they risked everything to ism and tip their hat to feminism, but protect Freedom Socialist Party records from seizure. never commit to a genuine relationship Their eight-year-Iong defense sparked international with revolutionary politics, as they must appreciation and their daring legal strategies do if they really want to bring Jews and Blacks together. set a precedent for all activists. Tellingly, in West's long (but admit­ tedlyincomplete) list of "towering Black and Jewish figures," he leaves out the ------O,.dv- Todtlgl---,,,-,,,,--- most incendiary firebrands, like Mal­ colm X and Karl Marx. For his part, Lerner specifically rejects down-to-earth, NAME in-the-streets organizing around con­ crete daily issues, the only real way to ADDRESS rebuild the sturdy bridge between Jews and Blacks that existed in the civil rights CITY STATE/PROVINCE ZIP/POSTAL CODE COUNTRY PHONE movement of the 1960s.

Please enclose $4.00 for each booklet. Add 80~ shipping for first booklet, 50~ each additional copy. But heroes like Malcolm and Marx Send check or money order to: Red Letter Press, 409 Maynard Ave. S., Suite 201, Seattle, WA 98104. Phone: 206-682-0990. FAX 206-682-8120. are just the models we need. And through united struggle, the healing can begin. D 4 October-December 1995 Freedom

must then impose draconian austerity ens to mow down everything from Medicare measures in an attempt to contain the catas­ to meat inspections (military spending ex­ each com­ trophe that follows. "Privatize all your pub­ cluded, of course) . modity. The falling lic assets and slash your social programs so Privatization of government services is rate of profit compels the you can keep making interest payments on offered as a panacea for U.S. budget woes, capitalists to produce on an ever-more­ your debt," says the IMF, "or we'll let your with rosy predictions made of cost savings ••• massive scale and to slash wages, until the economy roll into the abyss." through increased efficiency. But a 1992 market is glutted and workers can no longer Peru is one of the places most devastated General Accounting Office study showed from the cover afford to consumewhatthey have produced. by this belt-tightening. All of Peru's state­ that eleven out of twelve privatized services trillion dollars worth of capital, can, in a fit Plants are shut down, workers are laid off, owned industries - some 220 total - are were more expensive than public opera­ of collectively superstitious keystrokes, move and recession ensues, which only exacer­ being offered up to corporations and banks tions. Any actual money-savings are achieved billions of those dollars in or out of an bates the problem. from the U.S.,Japan, and Western Europe at through drastic reductions in the level of economy in mere seconds. A recent Business As a short-term solution, the big industri­ fire-sale prices. On average, those already services. Week article frets: "So powerful has this force alists scour the world in search of cheap sold have laid off 52 percent of their work­ The government is playing Santa Claus as of money become that some observers now labor and resources, investment opportuni­ forces. Between 1990 and 1991, following union-buster, transferring valuable public see the hot-money set becoming a sort of ties, and markets for their goods. But this the removal of government subsidies and assets to private hands and, in the process, shadow world government - one that is just reproduces the difficulties on an inter­ price restraints, real wages fell by two-thirds. taking aim at public workers, the fastest­ irretrievably eroding the concept of the sov­ national level-and eventually leads to war. Typically, most of Peru's foreign invest­ growing and most militant sector of labor. ereign powers of a nation-state." In the long term, there is no solution to ment has gone into export production and this conundrum. Wall Street's salvation plan extraction of natural resources. After the Can capitalism be reimposed? Of Capitalism's Catch-22. The big eco­ amounts to, "If you can't solve a crisis, corporations have made their quick profits course the granddaddy of all privatization nomic chill that drives capitalists today to deepen it." and loaded up on cheap raw materials, they experiments is the attempt to shepherd the such extreme measures springs from the will leave an economically ruined country workers states back into the capitalist fold. basic mechanics of capitalist production. Global liquidation sale. Having con­ behind. The prospect of exploiting continent-sized Advances in technology reduce the amount vinced Third World countries to open their In the U.S., too, the debt serves to justify new markets seemed like a perfect cure for of labor, which is what produces profit, in economies to foreign investment, the IMF an anti-worker steamroller, one that threat- an ailing profit system. What ''goingpril'ate" has meant to me: twOl

Rise of HMOs brings decline in healthcare and job conditions Australia throws jobless to mercy 0 BY ADIaENNE WELLER Unions are fighting the closure of a local hospi­ ByDEBBIEBIIENNAN ployed pe tal run by Kaiser, the demise of which will elimi­ thebenefil I've been privatized! I work at the nate thousands of jobs and hundreds of beds in Australians are constantly bom- recovery. Oregon Health Sciences University predominantly Black North Portland. Many of barded with the analysis that tiny purple ca (OHSU), formerly a state ag~ncy. In this hospital's patients will end up at the new lean decreases in unemployment figures vises:"ALl July, we left the state system and . and mean'OHSUmachine.: mean the economY-is growing, even' ,'\ 'AGli.NEN became a public corporation with a What can we do to stop the unhealthy growth though hundreds of thousands of ARE FREE, board of directors "just like any modem business," of privatized healthcare? workers have been fired in recent years. I lost my Social Sej as its boosters like to say. First of all, we need militant leaders who are community service job two years ago When gov- ance may Now we are freed from state regulations and willing to organize angry workers to tackle the ernment funding was cut. Those of us in the you fail j standards. More of our work can be contracted system. In my case, AFSCME officers actually crowded social security queues, supplementing obligatiotl out, for example, and the Oregon law mandating backed the move to go corporate. They encour­ our paltry welfare payments with occasional work, Under equal pay for work of comparable worth no longer aged skeptical union members to believe that a have a different understanding ofthe "recovery." gime, 1 applies to us. public corporation would raise their pay and im­ Living on the'dole has always been hard, but at workers aJ It feels like I've been mugged. I've been roughed prove their jobs. least the government used to provide a minimal into comp up and my wallet's been lightened. Adding insult The HMOgenization of my workplace could welfare stipend for jobless workers. In 1991 the employml to injury, I'm told it's for my own good and the have been stopped by an aggreSSive, union-led federal Labor Party government abolished this agement" good of the patients (excuse me, "customers"). campaign aimed not just at OHSU employees, but important gain. Now the unemployed only re- been pres: OHSU workers have been callously offered a at all the area's healthcare workers and healthcare ceive an "allowance," if they fulfil the terms of a "jobseekil raise of just 2.5 percent - after four years of a pay users, especially the Black community. We could Commonwealth Employment Service contract. job I don' freeze and no cost-of-living raises! have organized a joint walkout at OHSU and It gets worse. Already downsized, the CES is told, will • Management pushed for privatization to profit Kaiser and gotten tre­ now being privatised. Its job-placement function, This sy. from the trend toward managed care in Health mendous support once integrated into the social security system, heavy toll Maintenance Organizations. HMOs shift money from the public. has been turned into a separate corporatised agency alike; stre to top administrative salaries and bonuses by We have the ability called Employer Assistance Australia (EAA). CES is also ab! cutting care, jobs, and lower-level salaries. Doctors to stop management unionists expect the government to try to abolish retraining must speed through treatment and scrimp on from destroying our their agency entirely in the next couple of years. undertak~ procedures in order to shave costs. Resources for jobs and downgrading Threatened with lOSing my allowance, I was through t child health are eliminated. our services. We just recently summoned to the local CES office for It's a b Hospital CEOs who adopt these policies are no need to demand that assignment to a case manager. I was told I could privatisatJ less than murderers, because they are increasing our leadership wield choose EAA or one of five private competitors. I outofwor the disparity in income levels and this is what the power we already was handed a broChure explaining that case man- - unless· increases national mortality rates. Adrienne Weller hold in our hands. [J agement is about ensuring "that long term unem- by cutbac

break off sections of the atoll, spilling radio­ the environment. Colonialism robbed them Australia's government, which has its own active material into the ocean. of their land and brought poverty and eco­ imperialist interests in the area - as seen by ••• No nukes! The people of the Pacific are already pay­ nomic dependence. its role as regional boss in Pacific heads-of­ ing with their health for previous testing Renewed testing has boosted support for government meetings. above and below ground by France, the U.S., the Tavini Huraatira, the Polynesian libera­ The official Australian response to the from the cover and Britain. The United Nations estimates tion Front, which is leading enormous anti­ new round of tests was at first tepidly criti­ led by women flooded French government that 150,000 people have died or will die nuclear and pro-independence rallies in Pa­ cal. Pushed by domestic abhorrence of offices. from French tests alone. Cancers, stillbirths, peete. Leader Oscar Temaru warns, "The France's actions, the Labor Party govern­ Far-flung resistance came together off andIn miscarriages an attempt to are ______skyrocketing. idea of independence_ is growing very fast, ment of Prime Minister Paul Keating adopted Moruroa in an international flotilla of more and the Frenchgov­ a more assertive posture. than twenty ships, including official repre­ hide the truth, ernment knows it." However, Foreign Minister Gareth Evans sentation from Cook Islands and New Zea­ France has stopped Tavini Huraati­ rushed to assure the world that while Austra­ land. On the eve of the tests, French navy releasing public­ The return of testing has ra activist Chantal lia might deplore the nuclear tests, it did not commandos stormed and seized two Green­ health statistics for Spitz toured Aus­ dispute France's right to its Pacific territo­ peace ships and a French sailboat. Polynesia. inflamed the Polynesian tralia to build soli­ ries. "We believe France's presence in the darity for the inde­ Pacific has played a very helpful and con­ Poisoning the Pacific. The Chirac gov­ Devastated by independence movement. pendence struggle. structive role," Evans said. ernment claims that its tests are perfectly colonialism. The "French nuclear Anti-nuclear and anti-colonial activists safe, but its reassurances just won't wash. indigenous people testing," she said, in Australia and across the globe have shown France has now detonated 176 nuclear call Tahiti-Polynesia "Te Ao Maohi" - Land "can happen in Moruroa because French that they are not waiting for their govern­ explOSions in Polynesia - 44 of them in the of the Maohi. They are clear that their PolyneSia is French and not Polynesian. The ments to do the right thing. They are taking atmosphere. Moruroa, which is a coral reef troubles began when the European colonists only guarantee for a forever nuclear-free matters into their own hands, and may soon growing on top of a submerged, extinct arrived - first the British, then the French. Pacific is a forever colonialism-free Pacific." prove that there is at least one force stronger volcano, is already riddled with closely spaced Before the foreign invasions, the Maohi and more indivisible than the atom: the cavities filled with highly toxic waste. Scien­ lived in an economically stable, communal, Internationalism can stop the tes~. power of people united across national bor­ tists are concerned that more blasts will and matriarchal society in harmony with Words like those are not music to the ears of ders to fight for justice and survival. [J SOCialist October-December 1995 5

But the IMF's accelerated plan of "shock Turning back history is proving to be a therapy" has been an I,mmitigated disaster. perilous and formidable task indeed. the northwestern In Russia, more than half of the Gross Do­ mestic Product is now generated by the Labor's ranks revolt. Top bureau­ gO~~~:-o;:'~a1nhr~s!: ~~~f ~-of~~:htvi! no .. ' '.. ...• . "..... private sector. But the GDP has plunged by crats in the labor movement around the shOUld control "~A ben the same. Who With, and. theJittWst~tq play. almost half in four years, poverty has grown world conceive of the battle against free ral resOUrces u efit from the natu- sUbsidizing.the$aVings of thebi~~ rapidly, and hundreds of thousands of work­ trade and privatization as a fight for "fair - workers or prOfiteers? "66' Pri Dark clays of .lllaJ'ket ers have been forced to strike over unpaid trade," leading them to slavishly support vate vs. pubUc fa The act alsoaHows rm 8ilardty. wages. the protectionist, national-chauvinist Earlypowercom' g-of-war. in alongside rl-..,J?_ atizationtosneak Similar tragedies have induced voters to aims of the avaridous bosses in a particu­ only charged thJ:ruesrunforprofitnot Prev.i h7~"'5watiOn. bring members of former Communist par­ lar industry. rates, but also refu ~stomers exorbitant portions~~~~~!~ties Who owned ties back to power in several countries, in­ Further weakening their position, they communitiesbec se to operate in rural transport bulk ~r spowergridcould duding Poland, Lithuania, Bulgaria, and refuse to break with the bosses' political of setting up se~~:.e of the higher costs source to a bu::;w:: from a generating Hungary. parties. In last year's U.S. elections, for In response to the unr must grant non~W::w, owner utilities example, the AFL-CIO endorsed 59 House nopolies, a grassroots egulated mo- unusedspaceonth. ers access to any Democrats and five Senators who had up to demand the m?vement sprang that middlemen eusystem. 'Ihismeans voted for NAFT A. lic utilities. In the e_s_ta_b_b_s_h_m_e_n_t_o_f_P_U_b-__O.:ff:.:P:;U::b:l:iC~IY:b~uil:':t~~~wn:n medakeda quick buck And labor offidals are buying into Northwest, it in- ' ,an maintained the idea that the answer to the eco­ eluded workers ~tilities by hitch- nomic dilemma is to "boost productiv­ farmers, unions' Dereu'fIlation ,.s a tngarideontheir ity through labor, management, and and SOCialists. ' ~ ..... ~d - purchas- government cooperation," in the words Opposed at .debacle F. Consumer.'~ _ tng electricity of Democratic Labor Secretary Robert ev~ry step by the , or' ..J from ~e utility Reich. This collaboration is the essence pnvate power Just lOok h and selling it to ofIMF-style "tripartite" agreements, or companies, the at t e airlines. another at a "sodal accords," used from Australia Campaign even- markup. to Slovakia to co-opt unions into help- tuaUy won the I '-l;':-::::;::-::--:-~-----__ "Open access" . ~~p.mple.!Jlent ~s, wage decreases, allowed forcreatioegiSi ative victOries that th poses th +h __. run umruAi'.' '1~ n otWg~Vernment: . at greedy.speculators Will e~ ... ~t.. speedups, and aI-service cuts. = ery systems past their ca a . ~trafu Cfeliv- Fortunately, labor's ranks world­ . As more and more Pub}" u" service disruptions con!t~ties, making wide are leaving bureaucrats at the tricts were organized th IC tillty Dis- The good news is th t : . altar. On April 20, Danish workers fought back often th~' ~ power trust unions in California ad wu~ty Worker 150,000-strong walked off their jobs paid-for po'liticians ~ug bought-and_ battling I ffs an ISCOIlsin are in solidarity with bus drivers fighting ~~yorFrankEdward~fi n i 931, Seattle lining" u:It°de~nguldu~d by the "stream_ new re­ privatization being implemented by VISIonary head of Seattl~e C{-D. ~oss, the The current mov:~~:!ardbrin~. nemployed the country's Sodal Democratic cause Ross was del' . ty LIght, be- markets could literaU Wlde-open Party. In May, 50,000 Brazilian oil thecostofCityLigh~~en':1g power at half dark days at the be .y r~turn us to the conscripted workers struck against privatization "conferences" run bytheprlvate But support for pufu~Ivatecomp'etitor. tury. Onlythrou gt~mg .of t!te cen- and layoffs. Five million Italian work- so strong that in an 1 IC .0wnershIp was privatization na~OnallZatiOn, not agencies. My "personal case man­ wi'ff ers held a general strike to stop the the mayor was chance to have a 't been finalised, but I've already liquidation of their pension funds. dum;e~c~~~~::~::!e, ke~p the~~: :~ble to join a "job club" for intensive The peasant rebellion in Chiapas, Rule of the bottom r Heidi Durham . Translation: being railroaded into a Mexico inspired by NAFT A is still rent craze for deregul . IDe. The CUr- man in the electriIS a pioneer Wo- My experience as a teacher, I'm gaining support both nationally industry in 1992 ?tIon hit the power year VetA-an of t1_~ trades. A 21- , WIth passage of the .... , --ttl City me into market research! and internationally. When the she is now a power d.!"'_ Light, is meant to be punitive, exacting a government-controlled unions --patcher. social security workers and "clients" canceled this year's May Day march for fear reigns on both sides of the counter. It that things would get out of hand, 70,000 inefficient. In an attempt to get workers ignored their misleaders and stormed Not a system we can live with. The trade" must give way I applied for a government subsidy to 'Mexico City to protest layoffs and IMF has done a damned good job of proving to trade without exploitation. privatization. Marx's prediction that capitalism would in­ The only force capable of wresting these an editing course, but approval came The Russian strike over some 1.14 billion creaSingly concentrate wealth in the hands changes from the international guardians of late because of the staff shortages. dollars in unpaid wages, held for one day in of a few and misery in the lives of the many. the status quo is an international united and scary process. Cutbacks and August, included factory workers, teachers, There is no more lucid argument for social­ front of labor, in alliance with all the op­ cost jobs. Now the people thrown electridans, and many others. Demonstrat­ ism than the global economy today. pressed. Workers are the ones with the need face losing their meagre welfare cheques ing workers carried red flags, called for Presi­ The dead, irrational religion of capitalism and the ability to create a world in which go through another system driven dent Yeltsin's resignation, and labeled the cries out to be replaced with the living, goods are produced and distributed not as and privatisation. C government as criminals who steal from the logical sdence of sodalism. Privatization tribute to the god of profit, but to raise the people. must give way to collectivization and "free quality of life for all. C

FREEDOM SOCIALIST PARTY " RADICAL WOMEN CALIFORNIA WASHINGTON Los Angeles: Teamsters Building, 1616 W. 9th St. Suite 7, Port Angeles: 1621 S. F St., Port Angeles, WA 98363. Ph. Los Angeles, CA 90015. Ph. 213-365-1792. 360-452-7534. FAX 213-365-6088. Seattle: FSP National OffIce, Bush Asia Center, 409 Maynard San Francisco: RW National Office and Bay Area Branch, Ave. S. #201, Seattle, WA 98104. Ph. 206-682-0990. Valencia Hall, 523-A Valencia St., San FranciSCO, CA 94110. FAX 206-682-8120. Ph. 415-864-1278. FAX 415-864-0778. Seattle Branch, New Freeway Hall, 5018 Rainier Ave. S., Se­ NEWJERSEY attle, WA 98118. Ph. 206-722-2453. FAX 206-723-7691. Newark: 91 Court Street, #3B, Newark, NJ 07102. Phone/Fax Tacoma: P.O. Box 5847, Tacoma, WA 98415. Ph. 206-756- 201-643-0499. 9971. FAX 206-759-3988. • • • NEW YORK AUSTRALIA Albany: 190 Westem Ave. #3, Albany NY 12203. Melbourne: P.O. Box 266, West Brunswick, VIC 3055. Ph. 518-433-1388. Phone/FAX 03-9386-5065. New York City: 32 Union Square E. Rm. 907, New York City, CANADA NY 10003. Ph. 212-677-7002. FAX 212-491-4634. Vancouver: 2278 E. 24th Ave., Vancouver, BC VSN 2V2. OREGON Phone/FAX 604-874-9048. E-mail [email protected]. Portland: Northwest Service Center, 1819 NW Everett Rm. 201, Portland, OR 97209. Ph. 503-228-3090. FAX 503-223-2390. JOIN US IN THE STREETS! r 6 Freedom SOcialist October - December 1995

Editorial Zapatistas win broad mandate IN AUGUST, THE ZAPATISTA National Liberation Front held an international plebiscite on their struggle. The poll's results strongly legitimized the EZLN, with al­ most 60 percent of the 1.2 million Mexicans who voted saying that the Zapatistas should become a new and inde­ pendent political party. The rebels sought the opinions of revolutionaries and

activists around the world. The Freedom Socialist Party :. :.. : :". ":-: ":::. was among the respondents, and here's a sampling of 5 ays iii what we said...... •. •• H~~~y +ifS?~",- women used to . ra ise their conSCIOUS FIRST OF ALL, WE URGED the Zapatistas to make instead of their boob5.~··"·"·············· their abstract demands - for things such as liberty, jus­ tice, and democracy - concrete. (Even the cruelest dicta­ tors claim to stand for freedom and justice.) The way to do this, we believe, is by hammering out an unblushingly anticapitalist program that incorporates specific transi­ tional demands. These would include the right of workers to control and run industry in the interests of the major­ Humor ity and the restoring of Mexico's collective lands to land­ less peasants. The EZLN asked whether the equal participation of women in civic life should be guaranteed. We said, abso­ lutely! But why should this question be put to a vote? So what's to laugh about? Gender equality is a fundamental principle, and revolutionaries should fight for it regardless of public tard pie at a bishop than Myoid friend Vince would opinion. Leaders must lead - and that means taking a curate. The truth is describe an obsessively talk- stands that are controversial or unpopular. that you cannot be ative guy as someone who, memorably funny when asked for the time, would IF IT CHAMPIONS THE CAUSE of all those whose without at some point tell you how to build a clock. rights are most frequently denied - like women, Indios, raising topics which the Such people used to be annoy- peasants, and lesbians and gays - the Zapatista revolt will rich, the powerful and ing, but rare. Now they're ev- the complacent would erywhere. Those of you who strengthen the rights of everyone. It can develop into a BY prefer to be left alone. ride municipal buses find them magnet for the regroupment of the radicals in every HENRY in the next seat more often movement who are seeking to gain liberty, justice, peace, NOBLE So here I am writing a hu- than not these days. and democracy for Mexico in the only way possible: mor col\l~: At the I]l,QIJl.~Iltit through socialist revolution throughout the hemisphere. In this issue we introduce both seems aofg Job to fin:aTome- Unaccustownedfreedom. j Vivan los Zapatistas! j Viva la revolud6n en America! [J a new feature for the FS, an inter- thing funny to write about. I take this as a further indict­ mittent humor column, and its Everything's so deadly serious. ment of capitalism, of course, author, Freedom Socialist Party For example, while dashing for making living conditions National Secretary Henry Noble. to a rally the other day, I called so awful that ready complaint Los Zapatistas obtienen A long-standingmemberofour out to a friend, "Isn't it a nice is on every lip. And for speed­ editorial board, Noble assumed warm day?" - only to have ing up our lives to such an his position as the party's overall her answer that unusually high extent that people must take una aprobaci6n general organizer last year. Noble is ------______whatever opportunity is af- EN AGOSTO, EL EjERCITO ZAPATISTA de Li­ a highlyregardedlewish and forded to share their in- beracion Nacional realizo un plebiscito internacional labor activist who can be I · I h nermost thoughts. acerca de su lucha. Los resultados de la encuesta legiti­ relied on to keep hold ofboth n a sIng e prase, I'm recently retired from mizaron con fuerza al EZLN con casi un 60% de los 1.2 his wits and his wit, no you mivht define a ten-year stint at Boeing, millones de mexicanos que votaron para indicar que los matter how challenging the ~. where people were condi- Zapatistas deberian convertirse en un nuevo partido po­ assignment. humor as dignity tionedtoknowthatapass- litico independiente. ing greeting of any variety he Big Red Joke sitting on a tack. was just a personable ac- Los rebeldes buscaban las opiniones de los revolucio­ Book leads off knowledgment of some­ narios y activistas de todo el mundo. El Partido de Liber­ with this typi­ one's presence and not an tad Socialista (Freedom Socialist Party) fue una de las or­ cally neat quote from temperatures have produced invitation to stop and chat. ganizaciones que respondieron, y este es un ejemplo de 10 T British writer, socialist, and the sudden, ecologically un­ Now that I'm on the streets que dijimos. Spanish Civil War veteran settling appearance of light­ more, I figured it was up to me George Orwell. ning bugs in Seattle, a portent to devise a way to avoid en­ ANTES QUE NADA, EXHORTAMOS a los Zapatistas of universal skin cancer and tanglements while not being a que sus exigencias abstractas - cosas como la libertad, Every joke is a tiny the melting of the polar caps. rude. I certainly didn't want justicia y democracia - las hagan concretas. (Aun los dic­ revolution. If you had Acquaintances are respond­ anyone to take offense at me tadores mas crueles proclaman su apoyo a la libertad y la to define humor in a ing to even the most casual or, by extension, at the FSP. justicia.) En nuestra opinion, la manera de llevar a cabo single phrase, you "Hi, how're you doin'?" with Perhaps a well-timed smile or esto es elaborando un programa anticapitalista sin inhibi­ might define it as dig­ tales of job loss, health prob­ nod or wave would do. ciones que incorpore demand as de transicion espedficas. nity sitting on a tack. lems, or, worse, relationship But in working on this piece, Entre estas estaria el derecho de los trabajadores a contro­ Whatever destroys dig­ woes. In self-defense I made I realized I had it all backwards. lar y dirigir la industria de acuerdo a los intereses de las nity, and brings down my greeting less personal, For the first time in my life, I mayorias y la restauracion de las tierras colectivas de the mighty from their switching to "How's it goin'?" can take the opportunity to Mexico a los campesinos que no la tienen. seats, preferably with a Now I get told in angry detail slow down - to stop, listen, El EZLN pregunto si se deberia garantizar la participa­ bump, is funny. And the about whatever the personal comment, and look for the tiny cion equitativa de las mujeres en la vida civica. jNosotros bigger the fall, the big­ effects are of Newt's or Bill's revolutions all around me. Fu­ dimos un "si" absoluto! Pero, lpor que esta cuestion se ger the joke. It would be latest outrageous rip-off of the ture columns will reflect what better to throw a cus- working class. I learn. [J debe someter a votacion? La igualdad de acuerdo al gene­ ro es un principio fundamental y los revolucionarios de­ ben luchar por eI independientemente de la opinion pu­ blica. Los lideres deben dirigir, y esto significa tomar pos­ turas que sean controversiales 0 no populares. Your generosity SI ABOGA POR LA CAUSA de todos aquellos a quie­ nes se les niegan sus derechos - como las mujeres, los in­ swept us offour feet! dios, los campesinos y las lesbianas y gays -la subleva­ cion zapatista fortalecera los derechos de todos. Se pod ria convertir en un iman que vue Iva a juntar a los radicales $25,000 Socialist Feminist de todos los movimientos que esten bus cando el obtener la libertad, la justicia, la paz y la democracia para Mexico Fund Drive leaps over goal! de la (mica forma posible: a traves de la revolucion socia­ ~ lista en todo el hemisferio. But it's not too late to contribute! Send donations to; jVivan los Zapatistas! jViva la revolucion en America! [J Freedom Socialist Party, 409 Maynard Ave. S., Suite 201, Seattle WA 98104. --- -- ~ ~.-- - -~ Z'T- -

October-December 1995 Freedom SOcialist 7

Letters to the Editor

FOURTH INTERNATIONAL ABORTION DEBATE FREEDOM NOW? Send us FSP lit, please Armed clinic defense will Support letters needed Clara Recently we have begun to make matters worse This December, Lorenzo L. Fraser report on books and pamphlets I share Linda Averill's anger Stone-Bey will have served 20 - we would be very interested over attacks on clinics, but her years on a life sentence and be in reviewing theoretical mate­ recommendation that clinic eligible for parole. We are ask­ rials the Freedom Socialist Party defenders arm themselves with ing for supportive letters to be Socialism for Skeptics VI: produces. Several of our read­ guns is terribly misjudged. 0101. sent to: Indiana Parole Board, ers, particularly in the former 16 No. I, /lHow to Stop Anti­ 5321 Indiana Govt. Center So., Stalinist countries, mention Abortion Terror?") It suggests 302 W. Washington St., India­ Comes the revolution­ your ideas in their correspon­ a careless acceptance of Reagan­ napolis, IN 46204. Please send dence, and we have everything style militarist rhetoric. copies to Stone-Bey at P.O. Box a simple "to do" list to gain from the interchange It's likely the thugs will re­ 41 #10006 IDU/2WI7, Michi­ of analysis and experience. spond with even more vio­ gan City, IN 46360. We shall now proceed to construct the socialist International Viewpoint lence. These are religious fun­ A first-time offender, Stone­ order ... The labor movement, in the name ofpeace Paris damentalists who are not afraid Bey was imprisoned at 17. He and socialism, shall win, and fulfill its destiny. of a martyr's death. Paul Hill has spoken out for the rights of -V.L Lenin, Second All-Russia Congress of sought one, putting up no de- prisoners and oppressed peo­ Soviets of Workers, Soldiers and Peasants SOCIALISM FOR SKEPTICS fense at his trial. John Salvi, ples and against youth violence Deputies, October 26, 1917 and human rights violations. Communism's detractors Averill's example, has re­ AND WE SHALL NOW PROCEED to construct a basic de­ quested the death penalty if Lorenzo L. Stone-Bey lack long-term vision convicted. Legal Defense Committee sign for a socialist order in these not-so-United States. Clara Fraser in /lWorld of Averill's suggestion is ratio- Michigan City, Indiana Our super-pragmatic American minds have difficulty visual­ izing the changeover from capitalism to socialism. But to build Tomorrow in Sound Bites," Vol. nal if she wants anti-abortion socialism in an advanced capitalist country is not a daunting 16 No.2: /lOur major talking blood to balance the scales, U.S. HYPOCRISY heads stigmatize communism but not if she wants to safe- problem. as an untried pipe dream, a guard abortion rights. Business leaders were What's enormously hard is throwing the process into reverse! brutal dictatorship, a failed Greg Marks The backward forced march imposed upon the former Soviet Nazi sympathizers Union and Eastern Europe is a ghastly shambles because it is ut­ experiment. Like Hamlet, they [email protected] In his book Trading with terly anti-historical and blindly regressive. would 'rather bear those ills we the Enemy, Charles Higham In moving toward socialism, however, the winds of progress have, than fly to others that we \JeT'Lti recalls that during WW II oil impel you full speed ahead. And launching a society run by and know not of.' Stuff and non- ~ , , : .~ ,~ companies, financiers and for workers involves following a clear roadmap no harder to sense. The Wright Brothers' 0' 'J~.A some leaders of industry con- draw up and stick to than the daily task list of a mother, secre­ first planes didn't fly. Space- 5lf' .~~ ducted "business as usual" tary, teacher, computer programmer, electrician, or chef. craft still blow up. And com- ~' <~ with Hitler's Nazis in bla- Black poet extraordinaire Langston Hughes provided a nuts­ puters generate more head- i i ~ ~ tant disregard of the Trad- and-bolts blueprint in Good Morning, Revolution, 1973. aches than solutions (my .", '-". 'th th EAt Listen, Revolution, personal opinion!). All be- ~ X mg;~ne :er~et~~d ~~d We're buddies, see­ ginnings are rocky." .- .' ~ jailed for their criminal be- Together, Wise, and to anyone with _ ~'. havior. Details were hid- We can take everything: an attention span over 10 ,~ . den from public view. How Factories, arsenals, houses, ships, seconds, obvious. Thank you 0 • different was this from the Railroads, forests, fields, orchards, for your sanity. ~ ~ present U.S. anti-Cuba ven- Bus lines, telegraphs, radios, Jonathan Maddox ....,...... ~'!t:" detta, in which lies and ille- (Jesus! Raise hell with radios!) jmaddox@ 46.· .. ,A.V galities proliferate? Steel mills, coal mines, oil wells, gas, neumann.une.edu.au - "'(t WO..... Ed Simpson All the tools ofproduction, . '. Apsley, Ontario (Great day in the morning!) Utopia exists! Every thing- Guns can be equalizers Having lived in communal INTERNET NEWS And turn 'em over to the people who work. societies for 20 years, I agree I'm interested in your plan Rule and run 'em for us people who work. that Utopia is not only pos­ to have armed feminists de­ Gay weekly on-line sible but already happening fending clinics. Guns are great The Seattle Gay News is now ANOTHER GOOD STARTING PLACE for our journey is wherever people are free equalizers, and women must /Ion-line." We would appreci­ Elizabeth Gurley Flynn's thumbnail review in The Rebel Girl, enough to allow it. learn to defend themselves ate it if you would publish our 1955, of a seminal 1888 work. But I doubt it can /l come from abuse. URL: http://www.sgn.org/sgn. "Looldng Backward by ... Edward Bellamy ... portrayed down from above." My experi­ I don't know the legality of James Arnold an ideal society, due to the abolition of banks, landlords and ence is that it comes up from utilizing volunteers guards, but Seattle capitalists. It was an imaginative description of what a social­ the bottom, and builds. To start I'd certainly be interested. ist America could be like, with collective ownership of all such a community we're now I am Director of Women's natural resources and industries and full utilization of ma­ searching for a few outstand­ Affairs, Doctors fO.r Integrity in Readers are encouraged to submit chinery, technical knowledge and the capacities of her people." ingly competent people who Policy Research, and Executive letters, news stories, commentary, Another preview, from Marx and Engels in The Communist want to live together in love Director of Women Against cartoons, graphics, photographs, Manifesto, 1848: and honesty. Gun Control, although this is and pertinent resource informa­ "The proletariat will use its political supremacy to wrest, by If interested, e-mail me or not a formal statement of their tion. Letters may be edited for degrees, all capital from the bourgeoisie, to centralize all in­ call (215)849-1259. policies - only of my own. length. Please write to 5018 Rainier struments ofproduction in the hands of the State, i.e., of the Art Rosenblum Sara Thompson Ave. South, Seattle, WA 98118, or proletariat organized as the ruling class; and to increase the [email protected] [email protected] e-mail [email protected]. total ofproductive forces as rapidly as possible. " And finally, James P. Cannon, founder of U.S. Trotskyism, in America's Road to Socialism, 1953: "The working class ... will take hold of society and set up its own government ... and use all the concentrated power of this state to suppress any attempt at counterrevolution by the capitalists ... The first task of the new government, once it has established its authority, ... will be to abolish private property in the means ofproduction ... Industry will be nationalized and operated according to a plan. "

WE CAN MAKE ALL THIS HAPPEN, you know, all of us together. Just clip the following post-seizure-of-power menu, memorize it, and slap it on your fridge door. 1. Restructure the government into divisions and jobs that make sense, reflect our needs, and express our hopes and ideals. 2. Squelch any counterrevolutionary machinations; peace­ ably remove as many kvetches as possible. 3. Expropriate the expropriators. In one fell swoop, transfer all private property from the giant capitalists to public owner­ ship. Nationalize the banks, great factories, natural resources, agribusiness, communication and transportation networks, utilities, media conglomerates, and like that. 4. Plan and reorganize these operations to create full em­ ployment, maximum output of needed goods, and an efficient, environment-friendly, and waste-free production process. 5. Back to basics - complete funding for enriched education, training, health, housing, recreation, and the general welfare. 6. Let a million cultural flowers bloom! Spark an explOSion of rich, creative, diverSified, and exciting art in all its forms. 7. Have a nice life for a change! [] 8 Freedom SOcialist October-December 1995

AndJeWs' . natiOn,butan megtt,trulte$¢ftlelr-state not diminish by an of the Holocaust and need to end anti-Semitism! Jewish nationalism eading Jews and Blacks: Let the ~ .. in the U.S. also takes the form of anti-assimilationism, Begin, an old saying came to mind --.:. if two Authon Michael Lerner (left) and Cornel West. of urging Jews to separate from the rest of SOciety. Jews are in a room talking, you end up with West and Lerner do not attempt to spell out Rfour opinions. Black scholar Cornel West keep wages down and profits up. exactly what a nation is, and both are ambivalent and Jewish writer Michael Lerner certainly have Lerner champions a broad ideology he calls the about nationalism. They believe nationalism is lim­ plenty of opinions, most of them inconclusive and Politics of Meaning, a philosophy so abstract, non­ iting, but find excuses for the nationalism of their self-contradictory . threatening, all-purpose, and multi-class that even own groups. Their book is obviously well-intentioned and of­ Hillary and Bill Clinton can embrace it. When Lerner labels anti-Semitic Black nationalist ten fascinating. We read it hopefully, looking for an He thinks that "for Jews ... the central question is Louis Farrakhan a f'racist dog," West defends Farra­ examination of the conflicts between Jews and Blacks the nature of Jewish identity." One way for Jews to khan. West would rather call Farrakhan "a xenopho­ and proposals for concrete steps to resolve them. But "get a sense of their value," he says, is "by really bic spokesperson when ... dealing with Jewish hu­ what we found were two professional pessimists who reclaiming their religiOUS heritage." He believes that manity'." West sees the nationalist aspirations of dialogued for 276 pages without ever quite .saying the other route is "through a nation state," the Blacks as a dead endj but, he says, "The progressive what the basis is for anti-Semitism among Blacks and legitimacy of which would be determined by "the Black nationalist position is the closest I come to." racism among Jews. extent to which it lives according to God's will"! On the question of Jewish nationalism, Lerner, Similarly, West sees hope for Blacks in too, is inconsistent. On one hand, he criticizes Israel's liberal non-critique of capitalism. Lerner "Christianity's universalistic ethic." abuse of the Palestinians and contends that ultimate and West attribute the tensions between Jews and West and Lerner are trying to analyze Black/ salvation for Jews "will involve the disappearance of Blacks to a rampant U ethos of selfishness" that can be Jewish antagonism without asking the crucial ques­ nation states and the creation of an international countered by religious renewal, or nationalism based tion: who benefits? order." But until that time, he says, he will "support on spiritual ideals, or an emphasis on personal rela­ Jewish national aspirations to protect us from xeno­ tions. They offer solutions that are lighter than air to Falling prey to cultural nationalism. Miss­ phobic nationalism and fundamentalism that still material problems firmly rooted in a specific type of ing the fundamental reason why Blacks andJews are threaten to qse the Jews as the 'demeaned other/"· economic system, one that depends on scarcity of divided means missing'the Vital connection they He says that to sUPpOrt Zronism=':lli€ideological opportunity and competition among workers to share: the common experience of being exploited, topoge 3

Wall Street Journal slams Freedom Socialist Party in front-page fantasy about radical groups

BY LINDA AVERILL we went to. nerdy, isolated Billy Gates (we're MichaelJordan, Monica Seles ... keep jobs, children, party head­ FS: What does a small turn­ guessing here) would grbw up Japan? Any bells ringing yet? quarters, and home. heWallStreetJournal­ out for one specific rally have to be the richest man in the WSJ: Left organizations re­ Let's end by talking about mouthpiece for the to do with whether an intellec­ world and get to hang around volve around "gray-haired vet­ recruitment - and rejection. bankers, brokers, and tual Left exists? If onl y 41 people with Steven Spielberg? erans of days when it was easy Every election, more voters bosses who brought attend one specific symphony WSJ: Most radical-left groups being red," like Clara Fraser, boycott the bosses' two parties. T performance, does that prove face funding problems and have FSP "matriarch." These anach­ In contrast, in a 1991 bid for you the peso meltdown, S&L fiasco, and uncountable other the U.S. has no culture? to scrape for resources. ronisms can't attract converts. Seattle City Council, first-time tragedies and screwups FS: No - really?!? FS: Color problems! FSP FSP candidates Yolanda Alaniz - devoted part of its News flash! founder Fraser is salt-and-pep­ and Heidi Durham drew terrific June 16 cover to trash­ We're always broke. pery, she'll have you know - support, with Alaniz winning ing the Left. It the Left is so trivial, We spend more than not gray - and being red has 20 percent of the vote. WSJhandleditssub­ we have. When we get never been easy. Fraser spent Just one case, yes, but highly ject just about as deftly why are lve on page one? more, we spend more. the McCarthyite 1950s work­ significant. We're gaining on as its capitalist sub­ In this, we operate like ing sometimes incognito after them, and they know it. scribers run the global the government we Boeing blacklisted her. She's The radical movement de­ economy. And as for the rumored death want to overthrow - but on a fought many a court battle to funct? The WSJ doth protest Reporter Laurie Cohen of the labor movement, WSJ more modest scale, of course. too much, wethinks. [J quoted various radicals, among should pay more attention to WSJ: The FSP, its sister orga­ them New York FSP Organizer itself. It's been reporting on nization Radical Women, and Stephen Durham. Her quizzi­ labor's upswing, especially in other groups with "hardly fa­ cal proposition - that "'The the public sector. miliar names" grew out of the Jllst;ce ,~ Movement' is pretty still nowa­ WSJ: The Left is "marginal Socialist Workers Party, "which days" - was custom-concocted groups" having "no impact." was founded in 1928, a year for Mum;a 1 to soothe readers concerned (This quote, like the first one when a May Day rally in New about the anger and revolt their we cited, is attributed to Noam York drew a million people." system is brewing. Chomsky, but if his comments FS: Oops. The SWP began in Abu~amQn I Death-row. p . < E Her superficial, sloppy, and came out as mangled as ours, 1938, and Radical Women AbU-Jamal, aradi rts5lner 1\:fumia .~ snippy article oozes with errors we forgive him.) didn't exactly grow out of it. former Black p~~ 10urnabstand ~ FS: Something called Buck­ But worse is Cohen's blithe leap of fact and redbaiting bias. But the murder of a Phi1~ fram~d for -::-:-::----U~_._J-' hey, our name is spelled right. ingham Palace Journal might over nearly 70 years of history. execution on A . .elphla cop, won 8 te 7 In case you missed it, here have taken similar potshots in The 1928 May Day rally was W?r1dWide prote~FcJn ~hrough the effortr:~(t:ry sta):, of are some quotes and para­ 1773 at "fringe radicals" who gigantiC because workers were thiS precious time to [81gn• Says Abu-)amal, "Let gro~ng phrased tidbits, with our replies. dumped tea in Boston Harbor. buoyed up by the 1917 Russian meat; to not'stay' .. UiJd a stronger andb . d us utilize WSJ: "There is no intellec­ But humanity and technol­ Revolution. Now, with the fall Supportets still. one eXecution, but tohaltoaer mOVe- tualleft left. Its traditional base, ogy do advance, outmoded rul­ of the USSR (after seven-plus lifeand~i~ hlSfrer:~!f~htforarettjaltosave~~:tU.1I ~ the labor movement, has been ing classes are cast aside, frac­ decades of intense capitalist 40 effectively demolished." We tions become multitudes, little effort), many leftists are dis­ t.. ee.. t.o..... 5.4."' ...~.M .... lJm..•.. ,.1 a. Ab..·... ·. ·.u.· *1 ...... 0 .. .. na...... te ...... o... rhelp;w.rite!Co. am.... aI.•.... 5.. New... Yi.orK NY.... : .... 1.. 00 .... '2'. tk.a.Jnal/63~tetd.aam.··... ·.A .. ·· ·"T .mtrl.:.. Jt .. know this because only 41 guys become big guys. How oriented and discouraged. tiQ~... e...:.:.atma.r .... :...•...... k.·.·~ .... :~ ...... ·.~... ~.1z"' .. ·~·· ...... ·0.·...".··.·.· .. ve'i1'lO.,.1. 1$., people showed up for a Revolu­ many of his junior high class­ But WSJ has heard of come­ ...... i'...... £U :.(ur.~Y,l . A f'o:unda" tionary Communist Party rally mates would have dreamed that backs, hasn't it? Richard Nixon, .;,}J:); ...