workers.org Workers and oppressed peoples of the world unite! feb. 8, 2007 Vol. 49, No. 5 50¢ Mass protest demands:

Arco iris para los Cinco Cubanos 12 Bring the troops • home now! Active-duty GIs, vets lead off D.C. march

By John Catalinotto Most marchers came from the hundreds of community, local Washington and state peace and anti-war organizations that mobilize under 4-5 the umbrella of the national anti-war coalitions. A large number BLACK HISTO Anti-war forces poured into the U.S. capital on Jan. 27. It was of the marchers had a sign or banner to hold. Some were hand- The Panthers, the first national anti-war action since the elections in November made, some were provided by the United for Peace and Justice showed that a large majority of the people oppose the occupation (UFPJ) coalition that initiated the protest, others by the other police brutality of Iraq. Demonstrations were also held in other cities around the coalitions, national groups, unions, university student groups country. and community organizations on the march. and today’s struggles The D.C. mobilization, which gave a new impulse to the grow- Unions that mobilized included Hospital Workers SEIU ing movement to end the U.S. occupation, was among the largest Local 1199 and the Professional Staff Congress from New York, held since January and February 2003, when hundreds of thou- many locals of the Communication Workers (CWA), the United sands marched in Washington, New York and San Francisco Federation of Teachers, District Council 37 and United Auto IMMIGRANT desperately hoping their actions would halt the looming U.S. Workers and Teamsters from Detroit. invasion. Slogans throughout the march indicated there was near una- RIGHTS 3 Galvanizing opposition today was Bush’s “surge” of 21,000 nimity about what the U.S. should do regarding Iraq: get out more troops to Iraq. More Iraqis were dying, more U.S. troops and bring the troops home. Active-duty troops, recent Iraq vet- • Smithfield raids were getting shot out of their helicopters and more blood was erans, families of troops and veterans of prior U.S. wars held an being shed on the streets of Baghdad and Najaf even as the dem- Continued on page 6 • LA 8 victory onstrators made their way from the Mall to the Capitol. Aware of all this, the crowd cheered loudly at any insult to Bush, Cheney or their cronies and any appeal to “Impeach Bush.” One hand-made sign said simply: STATE REPRESSION “Bush, go surge yourself.” • Army vs. Watada 6 The crowd scorned the Democratic Congress’s plan for a “symbolic resolu- • Al-Arian on hunger strike 7 tion” to express disapproval of the war. Protesters showed they want Congress to • Bush ‘renditions’ set back 11 stop all funds for the war and occupation, no ifs, ands and buts, and will focus dur- ing the coming months on the struggle in Congress over funding. The presence of many Iraq War veter- LATIN AMERICA 8-9 ans and active-duty GIs made it clear that this growing sector of the anti-war move- • Venezuela moves ahead ment can play a big role in ending the occupation. • Rich-poor gap in El Salvador ww Photo: Gloria Verdieu • Support for Cuban 5 • Coke boycott San Diego, Calif.

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Phone______email ______Workers World Newspaper 55 W. 17 St. NY, NY 10011 Washington D.C.. 212-627-2994 www.workers.org Photo: roberto mercado Page  Feb. 8, 2007 www.workers.org As housing market falls Foreclosures kill the dream By Milt Neidenberg to achieve sustainable economic security. Losing that H In the U.S. home, in many cases, means losing life savings,” said Mass protest demands: Bring the troops home now!. . . 1 Home ownership was once a dream come true for CRL President Michael D. Calhoun in December. “Given Foreclosures kill the dream...... 2 millions of workers. For many it is now becoming a the size of the subprime market today—nearly a quarter ICE arrests 21 workers at N C. . hog factory...... 3 nightmare. of all loans made this year—this epidemic of foreclosures Victory at last for Los Angeles 8...... 3 It was reported Dec. 19 that “2.2 million households will have a negative impact on the economy as a whole. Jury convicts doctor’s killer ...... 3 ... Low-income home buyers have been at risk even in the subprime market either have lost their homes to Chicago & Denver: the war at home...... 4 when prices of housing are up. Thirteen percent of sub- foreclosures or hold subprime mortgages that will fail Media seek to justify racist police killings ...... 4 prime home loans ended in foreclosure within five years. over the next several years. These foreclosures will cost New FIST chapter fights bigotry...... 4 homeowners as much as $164 billion, primarily in lost Prepayment penalties make them more risky.” A tribute to the Black Panther Party...... 5 home equity.” (Center for Responsible Lending—CRL) Another vicious form of racism is the housing crisis/ Rally supports arrested Panthers...... 5 Many homeowners are trapped, especially those with foreclosure epidemic in the Gulf Coast region follow- Army drops two charges against resister...... 6 adjustable mortgage rates and interest-only down pay- ing Katrina. In New Orleans, out of 97,000 homeown- ments. As home values fall, the equity they were count- ers who applied for Louisiana’s “road home” Federal FIST youth join protest...... 6 ing on dries up, along with the homeowner’s ability to Emergency Management Assistance for rebuilding, only Palestinian jailed in U.S. begins hunger strike...... 7 borrow and spend that has stimulated the economy in 8,300 received award letters. Labor, youth expand Coke boycott ...... 8 recent years. As of December 2006 less than 100 had received checks. “Not a dime has gone to rebuild rental hous- Renters with poor credit, many of them workers from H Around the world the oppressed Black and Latin@ nationalities, have been ing, although about one-half of the displaced population An ‘Operation Condor’ in the Middle East?...... 7 manipulated into taking subprime loans—interest-only had lived in rentals. Protestors stormed through New Lavender & red, part 88 ...... 8 mortgage payments and adjustable rate mortgages—to Orleans to protest Housing and Urban Development buy a longed-for home of their own and forego paying plans to demolish 7,500 units of public housing—many Aid to Chiapas...... 8 a landlord. But one of every five of these mortgages that hardly scathed by the storm—in favor of ‘mixed’ more Venezuelan Assembly gives Chávez broad powers. . . . 9 originated in the last two years will end in foreclosure, expensive housing.” (Facing South blog) El Salvador...... 9 says the CRL. U.N. occupation of Haiti intensifies...... 11 The $10 trillion bubble and capitalism This rate is nearly double the projected rate of simi- Canada to pay torture victim $9M ...... 11 lar loans made in 2002 and “exceeds the worst foreclo- Housing is a multiplier industry. It impacts on banks and financial institutions, construction corporations and sure experience in the modern mortgage market,” which H Editorials occurred during the 1980s. That’s when the savings and a myriad of related industries. The housing market—a The real cancer ...... 10 loan banks collapsed under similar lending practices. $10 trillion bubble that represents almost 80 percent of They were bailed out at a cost to the workers/taxpayers the $13 trillion gross domestic product—is weakening H Noticias En Español of about $200 billion. fast. A hard landing—code word for a crash—could be in sight. Su ayuda es necesaria para liberar a los cinco cubanos 12 Racism and predatory lenders Home sales fell nearly 13 percent in August 2006 com- Solidaridad del Arco Iris para los Cinco Cubanos. . . . 12 Foreclosure means losing the equity in their homes pared to the year before; home mortgage debt since 1987 and having to go back to paying exorbitant rents and fac- has skyrocketed from $1.8 trillion to $8.2 trillion. ing potential eviction. Lenders will no longer make loans Caught in this maelstrom are a wide array of banks, to applicants who do not earn enough to make payments private equity funds, real-estate investors and specula- at the highest interest rates possible under the terms of tors who wheel and deal in the bond market that sets the loan. long-term interest rates—the leading cause of the rise in The greed-driven financial and corporate institu- mortgage rates. Workers World tions—snake oil profiteers, bankers, financial investors Over two-fifths of all private jobs created since 2001 55 West 17 Street and real-estate brokers—garner huge fees and commis- have been in housing-related sectors. As the housing New York, N.Y. 10011 sions from subprime mortgages. market slows, more layoffs will occur and wages and Phone: (212) 627-2994 Wheeling and dealing with people’s lives is consid- benefits will be downsized. Compounding this debacle is the slowdown in the Fax: (212) 675-7869 ered routine under capitalism. “Mortgage companies, E-mail: [email protected] manufacturing sector and the auto industry. banks and investors have been aggressively marketing Web: www.workers.org and trading the loans because their higher interest rates The housing crisis contains the seeds of a general capi- Vol. 49, No. 5 • Feb. 8, 2007 make them far more profitable than prime loans, even talist crisis. The $10 trillion bubble can have a domino Closing date: Jan. 31, 2007 after taking into account greater default rates,” wrote the effect upon the multinational workers and the oppressed New York Times on Dec. 6. nationalities. Further social convulsions due to preemp- Editor: Deirdre Griswold Michael W. Perry, CEO of a California lender, said tive wars and debt will pit them against the predatory Technical Editor: Lal Roohk at a recent mortgage bankers’ convention: “We should rulers of the empire. n Managing Editors: John Catalinotto, LeiLani Dowell, all be proud as an industry. We have created an enor- Leslie Feinberg, Monica Moorehead, Gary Wilson mous amount of wealth for Americans.” Which ones? West Coast Editor: John Parker Themselves? Pigging out Contributing Editors: Greg Butterfield, G. Dunkel, They didn’t mention the devastating impact on Fringe-economy corporations lend or sell at exorbi- Fred Goldstein, Teresa Gutierrez, Larry Hales, those who will be bankrupted by a dramatic increase in tant interest rates, like the subprime mortgage lenders Berta Joubert-Ceci, Cheryl LaBash, Milt Neidenberg, foreclosures. mentioned above. But their CEOs earned big bucks in Bryan G. Pfeifer, Minnie Bruce Pratt High-cost, high-interest subprime loans are dispro- 2004. Sterling Brinkley, chair of EZ Corp, earned $1.26 Technical Staff: Shelley Ettinger, Bob McCubbin, Maggie portionate in Black and Latin@ communities, as are million; ACE’s Jay Shipowitz received $2.1 million on Vascassenno predatory lending practices. Fifty percent of loans to top of $2.38 million in stocks; Jeffrey Weiss of Dollar Mundo Obrero: Carl Glenn, Teresa Gutierrez, African Americans and 40 percent to Latin@s are high- Financial Group earned $1.83 million; Mark Speese of Berta Joubert-Ceci, Donna Lazarus, Carlos Vargas cost, according to a recent Home Mortgage Disclosure Rent-A-Center made $820,000 with total stock options Act report. It had analyzed more than 6 million subprime of $10 million; and Cash America’s Daniel Feehan was Internet: Janet Mayes mortgages from 1998 through 2004. paid almost $2.2 million in 2003 plus $9 million in stock Supporter Program: Sue Davis, coordinator “For most people, owning a home is their best chance options. (Forbes magazine) Copyright © 2007 Workers World. Verbatim copying and distribution of articles is permitted in any medium JOIN US. National Office Buffalo, N.Y. Detroit Richmond, Va. without royalty provided this notice is preserved. 55 W. 17 St., 367 Delaware Ave, 5920 Second Ave., P.O. Box 14602, Workers World (ISSN-1070-4205) is published week- New York, NY 10011 Buffalo, NY 14202 Detroit, MI 48202 Richmond, VA 23221 Workers World Party ly except the first week of January by WW Publishers, (212) 627-2994; (716) 566-1115 (313) 831-0750 [email protected] (WWP) fights on all 55 W. 17 St., N.Y., N.Y. 10011. Phone: (212) 627-2994. issues that face the Fax (212) 675-7869 [email protected] [email protected] Rochester, N.Y. Subscriptions: One year: $25; foreign and institutions: working class and [email protected] (585) 436-6458 Houston $35. Letters to the editor may be condensed and edited. oppressed peoples— Atlanta Chicago P.O. Box 130322, [email protected] Articles can be freely reprinted, with credit to Workers Black and white, Latin@, P.O. Box 424, 27 N. Wacker Dr. #138 Houston, TX 77219 San Diego, Calif. 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Special to Workers World their struggle to win a paid holiday on arrests came as the 60-day period ended. lation pending in Washington, but no law King Day. This benefit is still denied to While spokespeople for the company deny securing immigrant and worker rights has In a move that mixed union busting many workers in the South. The workers collusion with ICE, it is apparent that the been passed. with the enforcement of repressive immi- only organized the work stoppage after arrests of immigrant workers can have Organizers say that to win these rights gration laws, Immigration and Customs the bosses refused to accept the results the effect of intimidating any who might requires immigrant-friendly unions and Enforcement (ICE) agents arrested of their petition drive a week earlier, put join the struggle. The UFCW is fighting to workers’ organizations that can unite 21 workers from the Tar Heel, N.C., together with the help of organizers in the secure these jobs and provide services to workers of all nationalities and citizenship Smithfield plant on Jan. 24. United Food and Commercial Workers fired workers. status to fight back. The plant, the world’s largest hog union (UFCW). Throughout the U.S., the immigrant On Feb. 3 and 4 a national conference slaughterhouse, is an ICE target not sim- It was mostly African-American work- struggle seemed to suddenly materialize in Los Angeles will discuss the Great ply because it employs such a large pro- ers who carried out the Jan. 15 job action, last spring with a series of demonstra- American Boycott II to be held this coming portion of immigrant workers but because with the participation of over a hundred tions and walkouts protesting repressive May 1. The conference is being sponsored it has been the site of an intense worker Latin@ and a few white workers. This fol- immigration bills introduced in Congress. by the March 25th Coalition Los Angeles and union struggle over the past months. lowed a huge work stoppage on Nov. 16, These actions culminated with last May and many other organizations located The workers have been demanding con- when more than 1,000 mostly Latin@ Day’s Great American Boycott when mil- wherever there are strong concentrations cessions, such as a paid holiday for Martin workers walked out after the company lions of immigrant workers across the of immigrants. Luther King Day and union recognition, fired 50 workers whose immigration country walked out to support immigrant For more information see www.smith- and have enforced these demands with papers couldn’t be cleared. rights. The action defeated the racist legis- fieldjustice.comn wildcat walkouts and petition drives. Smithfield bosses then reinstated the Over 500 first-shift Smithfield work- 50 workers, agreeing to give them 60 days ers had refused to work on Jan. 15 in to verify their information. The Jan. 24 In victory for abortion rights Jury convicts doctor’s killer By Ellie Dorritie of the doctor’s family. Buffalo, N.Y. The continuing struggle to defend women’s rights in the 1990’s forced the It was a victory for everyone who has federal government to create stronger stood, marched and demonstrated for laws to protect abortion clinics from vio- so many years for abortion rights. A jury lent extremists like Kopp, who is suspect- www.committee4justice.com The Los Angeles 8 and supporters in 1987. in Buffalo on Jan. 25 swiftly rejected all ed of also shooting several other doctors. of James Kopp’s arguments that he had Women insisted that more severe penal- a right to murder doctors who provide ties go on the books. This second convic- abortions. tion, on the federal charges, now makes it Victory at last The jury took only a few hours to con- likely that Kopp will never leave prison. vict him on a federal law that can bring Kopp chose to have a jury hear the trial Kopp a sentence of life without parole for on federal charges, and also chose to act the 1998 killing of Dr. Barnett Slepian, an as his own lawyer, in order to get more for Los Angeles 8 obstetrician-gynecologist who provided time to use the court as a platform. He abortion services at a Buffalo clinic. That claimed that Slepian’s death was an acci- By John Catalinotto were based exclusively on the McCarran- federal law on which Kopp was convict- dent, and that he was justified in shooting Walter Act of the Red-scare era: that the ed, which contains penalties for violence him. But his attempts to mobilize public Justice delayed may be justice denied, eight supported the Popular Front for the against abortion providers, would never opinion and to persuade the jury failed and in the 20-year-old case of the Los Liberation of Palestine, and had raised have existed without women’s struggle in completely. Angeles 8 it was denied with a vengeance. funds and passed out literature that aided the streets. This was an affirmation of the strength But a strongly worded Jan. 30 decision by that Marxist group. This was the second trial for Kopp. In of pro-choice views in Buffalo, where Judge Bruce Einhorn to dismiss charges Decisions in the case have already had a the first one, a non-jury County Court trial resounding defeats were dealt to the fanat- against the remaining two defendants was significant legal impact, both progressive in 2003, he was convicted and sentenced ical Operation Rescue and James Kopp’s still a victory. and regressive. Based on the case, in 1988 to 25 years to life for Slepian’s murder. mentor, Randall Terry. In 1992 and 1999, The immigration court in Los Angeles a federal district judge made a progressive That conviction came after Kopp admit- defenders of women’s rights turned out by “finds that the government has failed to ruling that the McCarran-Walter Act was ted in a Buffalo newspaper interview that the thousands here to physically protect carry its burden of proving respondents unconstitutional because it denied immi- he had hunted down, laid in wait for, and clinics that provided abortions and other deportable based on clear, unequivocal grants their First Amendment rights. killed the doctor by shooting him with a reproductive services against attempted and convincing evidence. Therefore, the On the reactionary side, a Supreme high-powered rifle at close range, in front blockades. n proceedings against [Khader] Hamide Court opinion that came about as a result and [Michel] Shehadeh are terminated.” of this case stated, “An alien unlawfully Judge Einhorn wrote in the decision in this country has no constitutional that “the attenuation of these proceedings right to assert selective enforcement as a is a festering wound on the body of these defense against his deportation.” This was respondents, and an embarrassment to exactly what the lawyers for the LA 8 had the rule of law.” argued. A release from the LA 8 said, “This is In 1987, no one—citizen or not—could a clear recognition by the court of the be prosecuted for association with an suffering of the respondents and their organization, regardless of the group’s families unjustly for more than 20 years. relationship with the U.S. government. Moreover, it is recognition that the gov- Yet the case proceeded—first based on ernment has nothing against the respon- the PFLP’s Marxist character, then on dents except that it does not like their the FBI’s assertion that the PFLP intends political views.” “destruction of property,” and, still later, “On behalf of the LA 8 and their fami- on the government’s accusation that the lies, a big thank you and gratitude to each PFLP intends to do violence and assassi- and everyone who helped us in any way nate leaders of states. to make this win possible,” said Michel While the LA 8’s supporters consider Shehadeh. this latest decision a victory, they warn, The LA 8 first consisted of seven “It is not over yet. The government most Palestinian men and one Kenyan woman. likely will appeal the decision; there is no In 1987, armed FBI agents raided their indication that they will let this go despite southern California homes in the mid- all the legal and political embarrassment. dle of the night and arrested them. The Therefore, we have to stay alert and ready In 1992 and again in 1998 Buffalo United for Choice droveO peration Rescue out of town. Photo from cover of pamphlet ”The Lesson of Buffalo.” arrests culminated a long witch-hunt-type to move forward in supporting this impor- investigation. tant case whenever and for whatever Initially, the charges against them needed to end this injustice.” n Page  Feb. 8, 2007 www.workers.org A tribute to the Black Panther Party Crime heavily affects both cities. Both the whole country and the national libera- The Ten Point Platform and Program By Larry Hales areas are impoverished and the residents tion and revolutionary movements around also called for “land, bread, housing, educa- of color suffer from police repression, the world contributed to the rising fervor tion, clothing, justice and peace” and want- occupation and brutality. The “answer” in the U.S. ed exemption of Black people from military given to the conditions from which The Black Panther Party for Self- service that used Black people to “fight and despair arises is not different from what Defense, founded in 1966 in Oakland, kill other people of color in the world who, is happening in inner city areas across was a group so dangerous to the U.S. rul- like Black people, are being victimized by akland is one of the poorest cities in the country, where the poor and people of ing class that FBI chief J. Edgar Hoover the white racist government of America.” color have lived since “white flight” began labeled it “the greatest threat to the inter- California as well as the entire coun- Rebellions and survival programs try. It holds the dubious distinction of over 30 years ago. nal security of the United States.” The BPP was founded by the great revo- having been dubbed the second most That “answer” is to build luxury homes The BPP was a vanguard organization lutionary leaders Huey P. Newton and Oviolent city in California after Compton, and condos, retail shops and other ame- fighting for self-determination for the Bobby Seale and was initially established near Los Angeles. Both cities are predom- nities that tailor to middle-and upper- Black nation in the U.S., but evolved over to expose and fight against police brutality inately communities of color, primarily middle class whites who want to move its short existence to adopt a thoroughgo- in Oakland. Black and Latin@ people. back into the city centers. Poor people and ing anti-imperialism, as a way for human- By 1967 there had been over 100 rebel- Oakland has a poverty rate of over 18 people of color are pushed to the fringes ity to free itself from the cycles of war and lions in cities across the U.S. Many took percent; 27.9 percent of its youth under 18 of metropolitan areas in a “liberal” form of oppression. place in some of the poorest, most oppres­ live below the poverty line. In Compton the ethnic cleansing. The founding document of the BPP sed and repressed cities. The rebellions poverty rate is much higher. The per capita Oakland, of course, has a rich history was the Ten Point Platform and Program, were an outgrowth of the social conditions yearly income in 2000 was $10,389, with of struggle. It conjures up in the minds which stated as the first desire and goal: and the many contradictions rooted in cap- 28 percent of the population living below of most Black people an era of great mili- • We want freedom. We want power italist society. The antagonisms that exist the poverty line; 35.6 percent of youth tancy and revolution—when the realities to determine the destiny of our Black between the rulers and the workers and under 18 live below the poverty line. of ghetto life, of the Vietnam War’s toll on Community. And, • We believe that Black people will not be nationally oppressed were being displayed. free until we are able to determine our The BPP was partly molded after the Chicago & Denver:. destiny. Continued on page 5 The war at home Milwaukee. By Eric Struch and Jewish neighborhood. As African Media seek to justify Chicago Americans migrated west to California, many decided to sink permanent roots in The struggle against the war at home— Five Points. There were so many jazz clubs racist police killings against racism, police brutality and the that it became known as “the Harlem of destruction of housing and social servic- the west.” By Bryan G. Pfeifer able. The newspaper tried hard to link es—is intensifying in U.S. cities. A Jan. 19 Hales related that during the early Milwaukee Boone’s alleged attempt to escape from meeting of the Chicago branch of Workers 20th century, when Denver mayor Ben the police to his criminal charges, with- World Party bore witness to that fact. Stapleton made no attempt to conceal On Jan. 12 a Milwaukee police officer out ever acknowledging that Boone may Its two featured speakers were Larry his membership in the KKK, African shot David Boone dead in a predomi- have simply been trying to escape police Hales, a Denver activist against police bru- Americans suffered racist attacks if they nantly Black neighborhood in the city’s terror. tality and contributing editor of Workers crossed Race St., the border that divided North side. The official description of the killing World newspaper, and Willie “JR” Fleming, Five Points and white Denver. Eight days later, Adam Quinonez, a stu­ was familiar: Boone charged at the officer, chair of the Cabrini-Green chapter of the The national composition of Denver dent at the Career Youth Development tried to take his gun and then ran off. The Hip-Hop Congress (HHC) and activist with has changed since then—15 percent of Inc. alternative School of Excellence, was cop claims that, after giving chase, he cor- the Coalition to Protect Public Housing. the city’s population is African American also shot dead in a barrage of cop bullets. nered Boone in an alley and, afraid Boone Police brutality is rampant in Denver. and 35 percent is Latin@. But the racism Quinonez would have graduated in June. might use “deadly force,” shot him. Hales said, “Denver has the least arduous toward African Americans and other peo- In a rare occurrence, details of Boone’s The cops aren’t saying how many shots investigative process in cop shootings” ple of color has not changed. killing made the front page of the Jan. were fired or where Boone was hit. Boone of any large U.S. city. He spoke about Recently the city has pushed a so-called 13 statewide edition of the Milwaukee had no weapon—except maybe his bicy- the savage beating of Loree McCormick- “broken windows” policing, first prac- Journal Sentinel, the biggest commercial cle, or his Blackness in the minds of the Rice and her young daughter by a racist ticed in New York under Mayor Rudolph newspaper in Wisconsin. cops. The newspaper quoted no commu- off-duty cop employed as a grocery store Giuliani. People are subject to racist pro- Usually police brutality and killings are nity witnesses. security guard. Hales and Workers World filing and sent to jail for small infractions buried in the Metro section, if reported at The cop who killed Boone is on paid Party have been active in the struggle like turnstile jumping or loudly played all. But Milwaukee received international administrative leave pending an inter- alongside Communities United Against radios. At the same time, social spending exposure after the savage police beating nal police department “investigation.” A Police Brutality, a grassroots organiza- is cut and schools closed. of Frank Jude Jr. and the acquittal of the police order delayed public release of the tion founded to commemorate African white cops who beat him. Milwaukee medical examiner’s report. Police brutality rampant American revolutionary Robert Williams. police killed five Black men in 2005 and Recently retired Milwaukee County The heart of the Black community has Willie “JR” Fleming spoke about the the Journal Sentinel and reactionary pol- District Attorney E. Michael McCann has been in northeast Denver, in the Five movement for justice in Chicago for Ellis iticians need to appear concerned about been accused by many in the oppressed Points neighborhood, originally an Irish Continued on page 11 the Black community. communities of covering up hundreds and This doesn’t stop them from relent- maybe thousands of cases of police brutal- Help us e for Black History Month lessly demonizing and criminalizing the ity and murder during his tenure. victims of police murder and brutality, Two days after being killed, Boone was The popular “Marxism, Reparations and mostly Black and Latin@. The pattern is criminalized and demonized yet again the Black Freedom Struggle” pamphlet institutionalized nationwide: Make the in the Journal Sentinel. The paper pub- will be expanded into a spine book with victim the aggressor, or killable, in order lished accusations of sexual assault—even color plates in time for February’s Black to justify wholesale racist occupation and though Boone had never been convicted History Month, but we need your police terror in oppressed communities, of any of these charges. financial help to make it a reality. instead of spotlighting the social and eco- All this is aimed at deflecting anger and nomic semi-apartheid conditions there. possible rebellions in response to the many With Boone it only took the Journal horrific crimes of the police. The Milwaukee Marxism, Reparations & the Black Freedom Struggle Sentinel three sentences in its breaking ruling establishment has a long history of article on this police killing to demonize promoting fear and racist ideology aimed Major sections in the new book include: Funds are needed right away the victim. It reported that various arrest especially at white workers to divide from I. Introduction—Black liberation to help get this book published warrants tied to sexual assault of children the oppressed nations, their true allies in & the working-class struggle & distributed to high schools, had been issued Jan. 5 for Boone. the fight for economic justice. II. The material basis for reparations in the U.S. college campuses, libraries, The U.S. historical record in relation Fighting police terrorism and sup- III. Brief overview of racist oppression union halls and elsewhere. to Black men charged with sexual assault porting self-determination for oppressed and heroic resistance Acknowledgements will be made should give progressives and revolution- nations within the United States must be IV. What Hurricane Katrina exposed to the world in the book to those who contrib- aries pause regarding police versions of a central component of all working-class V. Africa: A battleground against colonialism ute $50 or more to this effort. this killing. The Journal Sentinel went struggles. This is particularly imperative & for sovereignty Make checks out to WW Publishers on to report, “Online court records indi- in the anti-war movement, as some of VI. Justice for the Caribbean and put in the subject line: cate Boone is a felon, but details were the most vicious facets of the domestic VII. A salute to women revolutionaries “Reparations book”. Send your not available.” war are waged through state repression VIII. Why fight back is inevitable donations to WW Publishers, Thus, even before any details were against the oppressed—whether that vio- 55 W. 17th St., 5th fl., NY, NY 10011. IX. Black labor and class solidarity provided, the Journal Sentinel had lence comes in the form of bullets or the attempted to portray Boone as expend- people’s empty bellies. n www.workers.org Feb. 8, 2007 Page 

Continued from page 4 San Francisco. Deacons for Defense and the armed self- A tribute to the Black Panther Party determination struggle opened up by the great revolutionary Robert F. Williams, in that it asserted the right of the oppressed Rally supports arrested Panthers to defend themselves with arms against the oppressor. By Judy Greenspan Huey P. Newton would call attention to San Francisco the fact that the Vietnamese people and the Black masses were fighting the same On the same day that U.S. Attorney oppressor and that the struggles of the two General Alberto Gonzales announced were linked. that people do not have a constitutional Many organizations that mirrored the right to challenge their imprisonment, sentiment of the BPP began to develop eight former Black Panther Party leaders from other oppressed nationalities, like and community activists were indicted the Latin@-based Young Lords. Support for something that happened over 35 groups of the BPP were formed by white years ago—the killing of a San Francisco revolutionaries and other Panther allies. policeman. The groups that mirrored the Panthers But if a Jan. 28 support rally is any were not simply attracted to the militancy indication, the Bay Area progressive com- of the Panthers. They took inspiration munity will not tolerate this outrageous from the many programs established by attack on the Black liberation movement. the BPP to look after the health and well- On Jan. 23, after a two-year witch hunt being of Black communities, such as the by local, state and federal police, six former free breakfast program. Bay Area Black Panther Party organizers There were 35 such initiatives and they were arrested: Richard Brown, Richard came to be known as survival programs. O’Neal, Francisco Torres, Ray Boudreaux, They were not attempts to reform the sys- Hank Jones and Harold Taylor. tem, but examples of what is possible for Two well-known political prisoners, Photo: Scott Braley 2006 humanity. They were humane programs Herman Bell and Jalil Muntaqin (Anthony Five of the indicted Panthers are on cover of new DVD, “Legacy of Torture: The War Against the Black Liberation Movement.” From left, Hank Jones, John Bowman (deceased), Ray and necessary alternatives to the system, Bottom), part of the New York Three who Boudreaux, Harold Taylor and Richard Brown. as the government of the capitalist rulers were falsely accused and convicted of kill- did not provide these services. ing two New York City policemen, have also Iraq’s Abu Ghraib. program, which drew so many people to The programs were of great pride in the been accused and indicted. John Bowman, In “Legacy of Torture,” Bowman, Jones the Roxie Theater that the film had to be communities in which they flourished and the ninth target of the two-year-long grand and Taylor graphically describe being shown twice. “In the wake of 9/11 and the were provided for under the slogan “sur- jury witch hunt, died in December. stripped naked and beaten by slapjacks Patriot Act, the government is now resur- vival pending revolution.” Some would deni­ Why did the government indict this and blunt objects; probed by cattle prods recting its Cointelpro actions. Homeland grate the Panthers for organizing these pro- group of Black freedom fighters now? in their genital areas; and nearly suffocat- Security is merely an extension of that grams, not understanding that the imme­ Why has the government relentlessly pur- ed by plastic bags being placed over their effort,” Elijah said. diate needs of the people had to be met sued these activists more than 35 years heads and wet wool blankets wrapped Cointelpro was the domestic govern- while fighting for revolutionary change. after the alleged “crime” was committed? tightly around their bodies. ment program used to undermine, disrupt The Free Breakfast for Children On Jan. 28 a local activist media collec- The government failed in the early 1970s and assassinate the leadership of domes- Program fed thousands. The federal gov- tive, Freedom Archives, premiered their to bring any of these men to trial for the tic liberation movements, revolutionary ernment eventually co-opted the idea, latest exposé of racism and injustice in killing of San Francisco policeman John organizations and progressive groups in while attacking the Black Panther Party’s this country, “Legacy of Torture: The War Young. In fact, California courts deemed this country that were protesting govern- program as being a communist agenda. Against the Black Liberation Movement.” all the coerced false confessions from New ment policies in the 1960s and 1970s. While capitalist propaganda made com- The new DVD documents the torture of Orleans inadmissible due to the physical John Bowman says in “Legacy of munism out to be the great evil, imperial- several of the arrested activists—Bowman, abuse and torture suffered by the men. Torture,” now dedicated to his mem- ist aggression, an objective outgrowth of Jones, and Taylor—at the hands of the Brown, who has spent the last 30 years ory: “I am sick of these people trying to capitalism, inflamed the whole world and New Orleans Police Department in 1973. working with young people in this city’s destroy our community.” The support at rained down bombs, death and destruc- Several of the men were incarcerated African-American community, denounced today’s program echoed this sentiment as tion from Oakland to Southeast Asia. for refusing to testify before a grand jury. the government’s violence against the hundreds of people signed up to become Eventually, the brutal assault of the The video also captures the level of police Black liberation movement in an inter- involved in the defense effort. federal government broke the back of the brutality, assassinations and abuse suf- view with the SF Bay View newspaper. A large crowd attended John Bowman’s BPP. Members were hunted down, framed fered by the Black community during the “I was named as a participant in 1971 in memorial at the African American Art and up and imprisoned, and systematically 1960s and 1970s. the murder case. All Panthers were tar- Culture Complex following the film show- assassinated. According to the Committee for the geted. If we were doing something con- ing. A bail hearing for the imprisoned The FBI created Cointelpro, an insidi- Defense of Human Rights (CDHR), a structive, we were singled out. They killed Black activists is scheduled. ous program contrived to destroy national group devoted to exposing human rights Bunchy Carter, arrested and imprisoned For more information about how to liberation and civil rights movements in abuses against progressive organizations Geronimo [Pratt]. It was just our turn. We support these activists or purchase a copy the U.S., socialist and communist parties and individuals, 13 Black activists were were next on the list,” Brown stated. of the new video, write to cdhrsupport@ and anti-war groups. One of its main tar- arrested in New Orleans in 1973 and tor- Soffiyah Elijah, a New York-based freedomarchives.org or visit www.freedo- gets was the Black Panther Party. tured for several days in a manner similar attorney who has defended many Black marchives.org. “Legacy of Torture” is Cointelpro was used to infiltrate the to today’s torture at Guantánamo Bay and freedom fighters, spoke briefly at today’s available at www.leftbooks.com. Panthers, pit members against one anoth- er, bribe, cajole, plant evidence and use every mechanism under the sun to keep the U.S. rulers’ tenuous stranglehold on New FIST chapter fights bigotry workers and the oppressed from being cast off. By Caleb T. Maupin a desire not to be forced to tolerate this crumpled up or defaced It is believed by many that the FBI also Cleveland kind of bigotry. with phrases like “Go introduced heroin into Black communi- The Black Student Alliance, a strong Bush!” or “Bomb the ties, not far-fetched considering the toll Baldwin-Wallace College, a small liber- organization at Baldwin-Wallace, took —-!”—using a racist the drug took on oppressed communities. al arts school near Cleveland, has recently action. Members of the alliance called the term for Muslims. Though the original BPP no longer been the site of major racist attacks. Two media. Soon local television crews were Recently a dorm exists, its history provides lessons and Black students living in an all-girl dor- interviewing the leaders of the BSA, who where many members examples for today’s struggle. The U.S. mitory opened their door one afternoon called for justice. of the LGBT community lived had homo- capitalist rulers have become more mili- to find the N-word scribbled on it. As a The BSA at Baldwin-Wallace College phobic words painted on the wall. tarily adventuristic abroad and conditions result, the college held a “forum” and pub- has a strong history of defiance. In years In light of all this, several students at of life are becoming more intolerable for licly denounced the action. past, it won a cultural center and addition- Baldwin-Wallace have decided to start the masses at home. The very next day, the same epithet, fol- al funding for students of color on campus a chapter of Fight Imperialism Stand What will give the movements of the lowed by the word “lover,” was scrawled after a sit-in at the president’s office. Together (FIST). workers and the oppressed a boost of on the door of the resident assistant, who The recent attacks provoked loads of Explaining their goal, they say, “We energy and deepen the people’s under- reported the attack. The term has long outrage around the campus, but it soon hope to bring together the struggles of standing of the intransigent antagonism of been used by racists to characterize white simmered down. However, the attacks people of color and the LGBT community, a common enemy? It is the theory of what people who defend people of color. against the resident assistant continued. as well as the many other students from is possible when the workers seize real The college again publicly denounced The college administration repeatedly the working class on campus. We hope to power, based on the theories of Karl Marx the act with statements, but the attacks promised to put in video cameras to catch show that unity is key to defeating racism, and Vladimir Lenin along with other great went on. They dropped the racial language the perpetrators, a promise that never sexism, homophobia and classism. We socialist revolutionaries and national lib- but repeated verbal abuse of the resident materialized. hope to show the students that their real eration fighters. assistant, using a word insulting women This is not an isolated incident at enemies are not people with a different And, for the oppressed Black nation, and telling her to “Get out.” Baldwin-Wallace. Students organiz- skin color, nationality or sexual identity, a shining example was the heroic Black A few of the young women living in the ing for the World Can’t Wait campaign but rather those who inhabit Wall Street Panther Party for Self Defense. n dorm transferred to other colleges out of often found their literature and postings and Washington, D.C.” n Page  Feb. 8, 2007 www.workers.org Watada trial starts Feb. 5 Army drops two charges against resisterter

By John Catalinotto be sentenced to four years’ confinement. While courts-martial are stacked Lt. Ehren Watada will face two few- against defendants even more than tri- er charges when he is brought before a als in civilian courts, the Army too has to military court-martial on Feb. 5 in Ft. weigh the political consequences of deal- Lewis, Wash. The Army dropped two of ing a harsh sentence to a popular junior four charges of “conduct unbecoming an officer for refusing to fight an unpopular, officer”; as a result, it also dropped sub- ugly war. poenas against two reporters, which had Watada, who entered the military with stirred up considerable protest regarding patriotic motives and found himself lied freedom of the press. to and deceived regarding the Iraq war, Watada still faces a heavy charge of has publicly argued that “to stop an illegal “missing movement” for his refusal of and unjust war, the soldiers can choose conscience to deploy to Iraq, as well as two to stop fighting it.” The Army is trying charges of “conduct unbecoming” based to punish him for saying these words at a Veterans for Peace national convention on anti-war statements he made during Ww photo: John Catalinotto public speeches. If found guilty, he could Continued on page 10 Active-duty GIs Jonathan Hutto and Liam Madden, organizers of the ‘Appeal for Redress.’ FIST youth join protest

By David Hoskins Washington

Scores of youth and student activists from around the country joined the FIST (Fight Imperialism Stand Together) con- tingent at the Jan. 27 mass anti-war con- vergence on Washington, D.C. FIST protested alongside thousands of other young people in a youth feed- er march that began with a rally at the Smithsonian and ended in a united march around the Capitol. Activists from over half a dozen cit- ies, including Cleveland, Philadelphia, New York, New Brunswick, N.J., Raleigh, N.C., and Washington, joined the FIST contingent. FIST activist Namibia Donadio orga- nized about a dozen students from Rutgers WW Photo: G. Dunkel University to attend the march, including ers for the Feb. 17 national day of actions recruiters tell young people and students, fic as police issued warnings over loud- several members of the Central and South called by the Troops Out Now Coalition especially the working poor and people of speakers for demonstrators to return to American Alliance on campus. and the March 17 united march on the color, in order to enlist them in imperial- the sidewalks. Car drivers and their pas- Raleigh FIST organizers Peter Gilbert, Pentagon, and copies of Workers World ist wars such as those now raging in Iraq sengers, however, honked and cheered Dante Strobino and Ben Carroll brought newspaper to thousands of young people and Afghanistan. the protesters on, often raising a clenched more than 80 students and working young from around the country. After being violently dispersed from the fist in the air to demonstrate support for people from the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Many FIST members participated in a recruiting center by police, the protesters ending the war. Hill triangle in North Carolina. Local activ- youth breakaway march. This bloc, made continued to march through the streets, Observers on the sidewalk clapped and ists from the newly refounded Students for up mostly of anarchists and FIST cadre, eventually meeting up with more FIST shouted words of encouragement and a Democratic Society (SDS) also partici- engaged in a non-permitted march to cadre who joined them on their march several took time out to resist the police pated in the youth feeder march. a military recruiting center in the heart back to the Capitol. orders and march in the street them- The youth distributed FIST leaflets, fly- of D.C. to protest the lies that military The non-permitted march blocked traf- selves. n Mass protest demands: Bring the troops home now!

Continued from page 1 lieutenant is facing court-martial start- working class, not for justice.” resentatives in the House spoke or showed honored place at the front of the march. ing Feb. 5 in Ft. Lewis, Wash., following Madden pointed out that “women their faces, most demanding that their par- They were even stronger with the demand his refusal to ship out to Iraq. Lt. Watada, didn’t win the right to vote by voting and ty’s protest go beyond the “symbolic.” Rep. to end the occupation now and bring the a zealous officer, says he had read up on African Americans didn’t win civil rights John Conyers (Mich.) was there, also Jerry troops home. Iraq in order to lead his troops properly, by voting.” He went on to urge the people Nadler (N.Y.), who introduced a bill cut- Despite their anger at Bush and the con- and in his reading discovered that the to stay in the streets. The contribution of ting off funding except to bring the troops tinuing tale of horror from Iraq, the mood Bush administration had promoted the the active-duty GIs was a shot in the arm home. Dennis Kucinich (Ohio) came out of the marchers was up, perhaps aided by war with a pack of lies. to the march. against any funding for the war. the surprisingly warm weather after a day A new lift to the movement came from Rep. Maxine Waters (Calif.) raked Bush of arctic temperatures in the Northeast Navy Petty Officer Jonathan Hutto and Celebrities, elected officials and Dick Cheney over the coals: “[Bush] and Midwest. People told Workers World Marine Sgt. Liam Madden, the active-duty Actor Jane Fonda, the leading celebrity says he is the decider. He’s not. He’s the they were lifted by the size of the crowd organizers of the “Appeal for Redress.” activist during the Vietnam War, especial- liar.” and were encouraged to go on struggling This anti-war statement had been signed ly in the movement supporting GI resis- While the organizers gave no central against the war. by over 1,200 active-duty GIs, National tance, rejoined the anti-war struggle after focus to the growing danger of a U.S. Guard and reservists as of Jan. 29. (www. a 34-year absence from protests. She had military attack on Iran, one contingent Iraq veterans, families, appealforredress.org) been attacked mercilessly by the right- of marchers raised this important issue. active-duty GIs Hutto led the crowd, chanting “No jus- wing since that time. She told the audi- Ardeshir Ommani of the Iranian-American Families of GIs in Iraq and those who tice! No war! More death, no peace! More ence she had not wanted to add notoriety Friendship Committee told Workers World lost a child there, veterans of the Iraq imperialism, no peace!” and said, “We to the movement, but that now, “Silence is that by threatening Iranian nationals in War, relatives of resisters and current come here today on behalf of 1,223 active- no longer an option.” Iraq, “George Bush’s intention is to pro- active-duty GIs crowded the stage, bring- duty members of the United States military, Actors Tim Robbins and Susan voke the Iranian government and people ing a fresh breath of resistance to the reserve members, National Guard members Sarandon spoke, with Sarandon stand- with the intent of expanding the war from movement. who are using their constitutional rights to ing up for the veterans abandoned by the Iraq to Iran. I was shocked to see the presi- Bob Watada, the father of resister Lt. speak out against this war, an imperialist Bush administration after they’ve finished dent say on television that ‘we are going to Ehren Watada (www.thankyoult.org), war, a war for profit, not for people, a war their tour in Iraq. kill the nationals of another country.’” spoke on behalf of his son. The young for death, not for people, a war against the A small number of Democratic Party rep- Continued on page 7 www.workers.org Feb. 8, 2007 Page  Watada trial starts Feb. 5 Lebanon. Army drops two charges against resisterter An ‘Operation Condor’ in the Middle East? By Bill Cecil Forces, a paramilitary force directly con- Lebanon’s poorest and most oppressed. It John Edwards echoed Bush’s war threats trolled by Siniora. Arms acquired in East has provided relief funds to hundreds of against Hezbollah, Syria and Iran. Is the Bush regime paying death squads Europe were being shipped to Lebanon via thousands of Lebanese whose homes were General strike against Siniora to murder protesters in Lebanon? At least the United Arab Emirates. The Pentagon destroyed by Israeli bombs and missiles. six Lebanese died in the last week in is also shipping equipment directly to the Today Hezbollah is allied with the On the very day of Bush’s State of the January in rightist gang attacks on stu- ISF. largely Christian Free Patriotic Movement Union address, the majority of Lebanon’s dents at the Arab University of Beirut and In his State of the Union speech Jan. and Marada parties, the Druse-based workers took part in an opposition-backed on striking workers. 23, Bush accused “Hezbollah terrorists Democratic Party and Movement for Unity general strike that shut the country down. Is this Washington’s answer to the backed by Iran and Syria” of “seeking to and leftist forces such as the Movement They were protesting Siniora’s Wall Street- mass democratic movement that has undermine Lebanon’s legitimately elect- of the People, the Popular Nasserist backed plan to privatize health care, elec- mobilized millions of Lebanese against ed government.” Bush is no more honest Movement, the People’s Democratic Party tricity and telecommunications, impose a the U.S.-backed regime of Prime Minister about Lebanon than he was about Iraq. and the Lebanese Communist Party. huge sales tax and end fuel subsidies. Fuad Siniora? Together, they make up a broad move- Gunmen from Samir Geagea’s open- Hezbollah foiled Israeli invasion On Jan. 10, the British Daily Telegraph ment to demand political reform and early ly fascist Lebanese Forces, the Future revealed that the CIA “has been authorized Hezbollah is not a terrorist organiza- democratic elections. Movement of millionaire real estate spec- to take covert action against Hezbollah as tion. It is a political party that enjoys broad This movement has united Lebanese ulator Saad Hariri, and Walid Jumblatt’s part of a secret plan by George Bush to help support not only among Shiites, Lebanon’s across sectarian lines in a protest cam- misnamed Progressive Socialist Party the Lebanese government.” Bush’s “find- largest and poorest group, but among paign that recalls the civil rights move- opened fire on strikers blocking roads ing” directs the “CIA and other U.S. intel- many Christians, Druse and Sunnis as ment in the United States. in Beirut, the Shouf and North Lebanon. ligence agencies to fund anti-Hezbollah well. It led the freedom struggle that drove The ruling classes in the U.S., Britain Three people died and hundreds were groups in Lebanon and pay for activists Israel’s brutal U.S.-funded occupation and France, on the other hand, have unit- Continued on page 10 who support the Siniora government.” forces out of South Lebanon in 2000. ed with the absolute monarchs of Jordan, The plot was reportedly cooked up in In July 2006 Hezbollah-led forces Saudi Arabia and the Gulf, Egypt’s presi- Washington before Christmas after talks repelled Israel’s U.S.-backed attempt to dent-for-life Mubarak and the apart- between Bush’s deputy national security reconquer South Lebanon. Over 1,000 heid regime in Tel Aviv to crush this adviser Elliot Abrams and Saudi Arabian Lebanese civilians—women, children and movement. prince Bandar Ibn Sultan. That was after men—were killed and thousands more In a speech at Israel’s Herzliya Institute 2 million people—nearly half of Lebanon’s maimed by U.S.-made munitions in last Jan. 22, Democratic presidential hopeful population—rallied in Beirut Dec. 10 to summer’s Israeli attack. demand a greater voice for opposition Lebanese children are still being killed parties in Lebanon’s government. or maimed by the 1.4 million U.S.-made Abrams was Reagan’s assistant sec- cluster bomblets that litter South Lebanon. retary of state for inter-American affairs On Jan. 29, the Bush regime admitted to in the 1980s, when U.S.-trained death Congress that Israel’s use of cluster bombs squads slaughtered tens of thousands in “may have violated U.S. guidelines.” On El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala. the same day the Jerusalem Post reported Abrams also arranged Saudi funding for that Israel plans to purchase thousands of terrorist operations against Nicaragua “smart bomb” kits—Joint Direct Attack after the Boland Amendment cut off direct Munitions--from the Boeing Corp. U.S. aid to the contras. In a speech Dec. 7 Hezbollah General Secretary Sayid Hassan Nasrallah revealed ‘Democracy’ or secret government? evidence that officials in the Siniora gov- Details of the Lebanon plan’s “exis- ernment had asked the U.S. to give Israel tence” are “known only to a small circle of the go-ahead to attack South Lebanon, White House officials, intelligence officials where the vast majority of people sup- and members of Congress,” the Telegraph port the Opposition. In one scandalous reported. So much for democracy in the episode, the Lebanese ISF served tea to United States. “The secrecy of the finding invading Israeli troops. means that U.S. involvement in the activi- Hezbollah’s work is not only military. ties is officially deniable.” It builds hospitals, clinics, schools and In December the Toronto Globe and libraries and provides social services for WW Photo: J. Dunkel Mail reported that the U.S. was secretly building up Lebanon’s Internal Security Palestinian jailed in U.S. Continued from page 6 What next? begins hunger strike Many participants said they saw this demonstration as the beginning of a By Dianne Mathiowetz and medical care and restricted ability to testify in any other cases. Many of his sup- struggle, not the end of it. The Troops practice his religion. porters believed that his innocence had Out Now Coalition (TONC), while lead- On Jan. 22, Dr. Sami Al-Arian began a Despite a steady torrent of prejudicial been firmly established and that his wife ing chants from the side of the march, hunger strike. media accounts and the expenditure of and five children would soon be reunited was distributing leaflets calling for two Al-Arian is an esteemed professor, millions of dollars to make the govern- with their husband and father. further actions this winter. Muslim leader and Palestinian activ- ment case against Al-Arian, on Dec. 6, However, in May 2006 the Florida trial On Feb. 17 it plans nationally coordi- ist currently held in a federal prison. He 2005, 12 jurors found no evidence to con- judge rejected the jury’s findings, ignored nated local actions aimed mainly at sena- has been the target of an unrelenting U.S. vict him of more than 90 possible charges, the plea agreement, declared Al-Arian tors and representatives to demand they government campaign of physical depriva- including the most serious ones that car- “a liar” and “a terrorist,” and sentenced refuse to fund the war, and to turn the tion, legal harassment and psychological ried life sentences. His two codefendants him to the maximum time on the minor money instead toward social services. torture. were completely exonerated. The jury charge. On March 17 TONC is building for the Over a year ago, after a six-month tri- deadlocked 10-2 in favor of acquittal on The U.S. government has since moved March on the Pentagon, called also by al, a Florida jury acquitted him and his some minor charges against Al-Arian. Al-Arian around the country from prison the ANSWER coalition, but will continue co-defendants of sensational and biased The government lawyers argued against to prison, often in the dead of night, leav- to raise demands that Congress refuse charges of being “terrorists.” Yet Al-Arian releasing Al-Arian on bail over these petty ing his whereabouts unknown to his fam- to fund the war, possibly supported by remains in prison under the most horrific matters and instead claimed they would ily and legal team. direct action at the Capitol. conditions. retry him on the unresolved charges. In another violation of the plea agree- TONC spokesperson Larry Holmes His arrest on Feb. 20, 2003, in a pre- Although the Bush regime had suffered a ment, he was brought to testify in Virginia told Workers World, “We are encouraged dawn raid at his home in Tampa, Fla., humiliating defeat in court, Al-Arian was before a grand jury hearing evidence by the turnout today, which we see as a was announced by then-Attorney General nevertheless returned to his grim prison about “terrorist” activities. When he cited terrific beginning to launch a campaign John Ashcroft at a national press confer- cell with no date set for a new trial. his agreement with federal prosecutors to involve the African American, Latin@ ence and declared a victory in the “war on This use of legal extortion, a common in Florida and refused to testify, he was and all the immigrant communities and terrorism.” device used by prosecutors across the called in contempt of court and sentenced all workers in a struggle to take the $130 For more than two years before his trial land, led to an arrangement in which to additional jail time. billion earmarked for a war of oppression was scheduled, he was held at a maxi- he pleaded guilty to a minor charge and When that grand jury’s term expired and use it to provide social services for mum security federal prison in solitary agreed to an expedited deportation. The and another one was impaneled, he was the population at home.” confinement, denied regular contact with federal lawyers specifically included in the once again called to testify this January. his family, with limited legal consultation agreement that he would not be called to E-mail: [email protected] Continued on page 10 Page  Feb. 8, 2007 www.workers.org

Colonial period in Cuba Bodies shackled and repressed

By Leslie Feinberg island in Havana Bay, which was thereafter www.freethefiveny.org referred to in Spanish by an anti-gay slur. Colonialism, and later lavender Historian Amara Das Wilhelm added, to Havana, Tampa and New York because imperialism, brought anti- “Similar disparaging attitudes toward they were hubs of the tobacco workers’ homosexual and anti-trans & homosexuals were expressed in a 1791 movement. laws and state repression t# 88 Havana newspaper article entitled ‘A In Cuba, Capetillo actively supported to Cuba. The deep bite of red Critical Letter About the Man-Woman,’ a sugar cane workers’ strike organized by the knotted lash of oppres- H which condemned the effeminate sod- the Anarchist Federation of Cuba. sor ideology backed it up. scores the importance omites that apparently thrived in eigh- The Cuban government tried unsuc- For over 300 years, the colonial occupiers teenth-century Havana.” (The Gay and cessfully to deport her as an agitator. Spanish colonialism shack­ placed on eradicating Lesbian Vaishnava Association online) Then it focused on her wearing of a led the laboring popu- the “pecado nefando”— U.S. imperialism militarily occu- “man’s” suit, tie and fedora in public to lation of Cuba, literally the “nefarious sin” of pied Cuba for four years, beginning in charge her with “causing a scandal.” claiming ownership of the same-sex love and/or 1898. From 1902 until the 1959 Cuban Capetillo fought the charge, arguing lives, labor and bodies of gender/sex variance. Revolution, Wall Street ruled by establish- in court that no law prevented her from millions. In order to petition ing dictatorships to squeeze the island’s wearing men’s garb, and that such cloth- The enslaved toilers Havana’s town council economy in its fist, restructuring Cuba for ing was appropriate for the changing were from the Indigenous in 1597 for his freedom, exploitation as a giant sugar plantation. role of women in society, and that she peoples of the island, deci- an enslaved man argued Laws against same-sex love and gender had worn similar clothing in the streets mated by the colonialist that he had “rendered a variance and state repression continued of Puerto Rico and Mexico without state forces that washed up valuable service by dis- to be used as a cudgel for economic, social intervention. on their shores, and also covering and denounc- and political control. Capetillo won her court battle—the African peoples—survivors ing those who had Cross-dressing Puerto Rican labor judge ordered the charges dropped. News of mass kidnappings from committed the ‘pecado organizer Luisa Capetillo was arrested in of her victory spread in articles in all the their homelands and of the nefando.’” (Alejandro Havana in July 1915 for wearing men’s major newspapers in Cuba and Puerto Middle Passage holocaust. de la Fuente, Law and clothing. Rico. Using Bibles as well as Luisa Capetillo History Review) Capetillo was a single mother, a revolu- Historian Aurora Levins Morales con- bullets, those who bled the Santería was one form tionary, and a much-loved and respected cluded, “The incident received massive labor of the enslaved class literally “laid of resistance to colonial cultural impe- labor organizer. press coverage, and Capetillo used it as an down the law”—reshaping and regulating rialism. It used the trappings of Roman After supporting the 1905 farm work- opportunity to attack conventional moral- every aspect of life for the enslaved class, Catholicism to shelter African religious ers’ strike in the northern region of Puerto ity, with its rigid sex roles, and women’s including economic structure, kinship beliefs and rituals—which make room for Rico, she became a reader in a tobacco imprisonment within it.” recognition, marriage, organization of the very different sex/gender expression. plant, an industry whose workers were In 1938, the Cuban Penal Code—the sexes, sexuality and gender expression. among the most politically conscious. She “Public Ostentation Law”—was enacted. Colonial terror, under the banner of Havana: cross-dressing labor also spoke in public about the needs of This law mandated state penalties for religious law, enforced the brutal remod- leader arrested working women, including the right to sex “habitual homosexual acts,” public dis- eling of economic and social life among In the mid-1600s, the Spanish Captain education. She strongly believed that sex- plays of same-sex affection and/or gen- peoples from diverse societies that the General who ruled over the rural and urban uality was not the business of the church der-variant dress and self-expression. colonialists, and later imperialists, sought enslaved population sentenced 20 “effemi- or the state. Next: Gambling, narcotics, to conquer and exploit. nate sodomites” to be burned to death. As a full-time labor organizer after 1912, prostitution industries in The following historical footnote under- Others were exiled to Cayo Cruz, a small Capetillo traveled extensively, particularly pre-revolutionary Cuba. El Salvador. Pact with U.S. deepens rich-poor divide

By Heather Cottin eralism rules. The San Salvador airport is the most modern in Central America. The In the 1980s, the Salvadoran armed port at La Unión will be the most modern forces, directed by Washington and armed in all Latin America. In El Salvador today, with U.S. weapons costing $1 million a 85,000 workers in 229 maquiladora fac- day, pursued a scorched-earth policy of tories sew 634 million garments valued torture, murder and destruction against at over $1 billion a year—for export to the the forces of El Salvador’s revolution- U.S. ary front, the Faribundo Martí Front for The ARENA party, the same party National Liberation (FMLN). responsible for the deaths of 75,000 peo- On the Lempa River, the government ple during the war, has established Free plundered the mangroves, destroyed vil- Trade Zones under the U.S.-designed lages, massacred civilians, burned houses, Central America-Dominican Republic defoliated the fertile fields and trees and Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR). forced the peasants out of the region, from Under this agreement, union organizers WW photo: Heather Cottin Women leaders of a dairy collective on the Lempa River. where they were dispersed to refugee are barred or fired and there are no union camps. An infamous massacre took place contracts in the maquilas. percent of the gross domestic product. El Salvador—and around the world—are on the Lempa River in 1981 at El Mozote. With a minimum wage of 60 cents an “Money sent home by roughly 2.5 mil- pulling down the level of U.S. workers It was later discovered that 794 people, hour, 80 percent of the people live in abject lion Salvadorans working in the United while promoting anti-immigrant propa- most of them children, had been killed in poverty, even according to ARENA’s own States is the main driver of El Salvador’s ganda to deflect mass anger away from an eight-day government onslaught there. reckoning. Schools are not free, there is tiny economy,” wrote Reuters on Jan. 17. the ruling class. There was no victory in that war, just a little public health care, and malnutrition It comes to $3.32 billion, a 17 percent In neighboring Nicaragua, the FSLN, peace accord in 1992 that stopped it. and illiteracy are common. increase over 2005 and the equivalent of a left front that in 1979 had toppled the Today the river flows quietly. The Agriculture generates 6 percent of 90 percent of the country’s trade deficit. U.S.-supported dictatorship of Anastasio FMLN has repatriated hundreds of people foreign exchange today, as opposed to The governments of the U.S. and El Somoza, won the recent national elections. living along its banks. FMLN organizers 80 percent in 1978. Prices have gone up Salvador know that remittances alleviate On his first day as president, Daniel Ortega are developing dairy, fishing, agricultural, since CAFTA-DR created a new dollarized the social pressure, provide money for announced that Nicaragua was joining educational and reforestation projects. economy. the economy and act as a safety valve for ALBA, the Bolivarian Alternative for the There is running water, housing and com- El Salvador’s coffee agriculture has col- those who are dissatisfied. Americas, which will help Nicaragua inte- munity centers that protect people from lapsed. Rural maquiladoras are now per- U.S. capitalists have outsourced the grate its economy with Venezuela and the rising river during hurricanes. Free mitted to pay 44 cents an hour. Economic entire apparel industry to countries like other Latin American countries. potable water is also trucked in. desperation has created a constant flow of El Salvador, closing down garment fac- In El Salvador, they are organizing in Youth centers, a radio station and an men and women out of the country. The tories in the U.S. Workers here and there every province. The FMLN says, “We need artists’ collective help create a high state ARENA government has effectively gotten are suffering. socialism.” And they have started along of political consciousness. The people are rid of 25 percent of El Salvador’s popula- Meanwhile, the U.S. corporate media the Lempa River. creating their own futures—and they are tion since 1980. and politicians push anti-immigrant In January, Heather Cottin attended socialists. The remittances that emigrants send racism. The same capitalist economic the Sao Paulo Forum, which was held in But elsewhere in the country, neolib- home to their families amount to 17 forces that have made life so difficult in San Salvador. www.workers.org Feb. 8, 2007 Page 

Heeding demands for social justice Venezuelan Assembly gives Chávez broad powers By Berta Joubert-Ceci tions, infrastructure, transportation sci- Chevron, ExxonMobil and BP all have large These are the Enabling Law; a thorough ence and technology according to a new holdings in Orinoco heavy-oil projects. and profound reform of the Constitution; In a public, open-air ceremony in cen- social and economic model; reorganizing Their percentages will decline as PDVSA economic, moral, social and political edu- tral Caracas’s Plaza Bolívar, the National security and defense; and changes in ter- takes over the majority of the shares. cation called “the great national period of Assembly of Venezuela on Jan. 31 ritorial divisions in order to better serve The Venezuelan process is very fluid. It is ethics and enlightenment”; a new distri- announced it was approving special pow- the communities. One important aspect of not clear yet whether the state will compen- bution of the political, economic, social ers—called the Enabling Law—that will these laws is the pursuit of more citizen sate private owners when it nationalizes. and military power that will entail some allow President Hugo Chávez to make participation. Chávez has said that in the case of political re-division of the country; and major changes in this South American Since 2005, the National Assembly has CANTV, in which Verizon holds 28.5 per- the revolutionary explosion of People’s country. been 100 percent pro-Chávez; the oppo- cent of the shares, “Of course the state will Power, where Communal Assemblies and Cilia Flores, president of the National sition, based in the country’s elite, has pay, how can it not pay?” But it “will pay Councils will take control of the commu- Assembly, said Chávez will now have 18 refused to participate in the elections. when the law so decides and in the form nities and will participate actively in the months in which to enact new laws that The U.S. government had criticized that the State decides. And I will tell you national direction. ‘’will benefit the people, those who were the anticipated new powers. Tom Casey, something, CANTV was a gift, now they The “explosion” of the people’s councils excluded their whole lives. They are laws a deputy spokesperson for the State better not say that it has to be paid by is viewed by Chávez as the most impor- for inclusion and social justice.’’ Department, said they were a “source of international price standards.” tant element in the whole process, but This development is part of what concern.” Venezuelan legislators, on their This was a reference to the sweetheart one that requires the other four motors. Chávez has called the path to Socialism of web site, rebuffed the U.S. accusation and deal the U.S. company got from the pre- For the development of the education the 21st Century in Venezuela. The special suggested it should instead deal with its vious Venezuelan government when it component, on Jan. 28 he inaugurated 25 Enabling Law is primarily a response to the genocidal war against Iraq: “Mister Casey, sold off CANTV, as well as a response to centers of Socialist Formation and allo- demands of the masses, who have gained the only truly strange thing in the world threatening remarks by U.S. Ambassador cated $5 billion to help the Communal a great deal of political consciousness and is that a government that says it defends William Brownfield. Councils with their projects. want a better life with social and economic ‘democracy’ has turned into one of the Chávez added that CANTV has a debt to justice. The fact that the changes are with- horsemen of the Apocalypse, of death.” its workers and retirees, as well as “tech- Cooperation and trade with Iran in the constitutional and legal system does nological debts” to the state. Venezuela is greatly expanding its trade not make them less revolutionary. Taking back control For many years, the Venezuelan media and cooperation with other developing The contradictions in the land of the The parts of Chávez’s plan that most has been controlled by the pro-imperialist countries, particularly through the pro- Bolivarian Revolution could not continue worry the U.S. government and Wall right wing. When the government decided gram called the Bolivarian Alternative for unresolved. The political awakening and Street are proposed nationalizations and not to renew the broadcasting license of Latin America (ALBA). Especially impor- awareness by the masses of their own a new Constitution. “What was priva- the furiously racist station RCTV, based tant is its recent pact with Iran, especially power was on a collision course with pri- tized, let it be nationalized,” said Chávez. on its inaccurate and insulting program- when U.S. imperialism is threatening vate ownership and control of the means The Venezuelan central bank, the electric ming that violated Venezuelan media Iran with the possibility of war. of production. company and the telecommunications laws on social responsibility, there was an When Iranian president Mahmoud Efficiency! No more corruption! These firm CANTV, which were sold to outside uproar in the U.S. The corporate media Ahmadinejad recently visited Latin have been the demands of the rural and investors, largely from the U.S., will be here accused the government and Chávez America for the inaugurations of Rafael urban poor. Chávez once considered a returned to state control. PDVSA, the in particular of being dictatorial and sup- Correa in Ecuador and Daniel Ortega “third way” between socialism and capital- Venezuela-owned oil company, will take pressing the freedom of expression. in Nicaragua, he also visited Venezuela. ism. But he has always been in tune with the over the Orinoco oil field. These are the same voices that never Both countries agreed to establish a $2 masses, listening and responding. He now This field contains one of the largest objected when RCTV supported the 2003 billion fund to help developing nations, says these laws are necessary to speed the crude oil reserves in the world. But the oil military coup against Chávez that failed particularly those under U.S. pressure. process of building socialism in Venezuela, is very heavy, almost solid, necessitating when the people mobilized by the hun- The revolutionary changes being to “dismantle the bourgeois state and build a great amount of resources and invest- dreds of thousands in his support. attempted in Venezuela need the sup- the revolutionary process.” ment for its extraction. The government port of all progressives, particularly in the The Enabling Law allows Chávez to will continue to allow some private invest- The ‘five motors’ United States, the source of its greatest legislate in 10 areas, including the trans- ment, but will take a controlling majority Chávez calls his five proposals to fuel the danger. n formation and development of institu- of the shares. At present, ConocoPhillips, revolutionary change the “five motors.” Pastors for Peace Labor, youth expand brings aid to Chiapas More than 10 tons of humanitarian aid world community. Coke boycott gathered by Pastors for Peace for the people When the bus got to Houston, a human By Martha Grevatt of Chiapas, Mexico, came through Houston assembly line was formed to load all the Cleveland on Jan. 13. The caravan was greeted with locally gathered aid onto the little yellow a community dinner hosted at the SHAPE school bus headed for Chiapas. MAIZ Since October 2004, UAW Local 122 in (Self-Help for African People through activists had held several garage sales and Ohio has not served Coca-Cola products Education) Community Center by Sisters collected dozens of boxes of humanitar- in its hall. This action followed a discus- of SHAPE, the Cuba Solidarity Committee ian aid as well as over $500 in cash for sion by a number of union officers and and the International Zapatista Action the trip. activists with Luis Cardona, an exiled rep- Movement (MAIZ), and attended by mem- The evening before it arrived in resentative of Sinaltrainal, the food work- bers of Nuestra Palabra, a program on Houston, the caravan went to New Orleans ers’ union in Colombia. Houston’s Pacifica Radio, and other local and dropped off aid to people there still Thousands of members of Sinaltrainal Coke products. activists. Three caravan members spoke of recovering from Hurricane Katrina. and other Colombian unions have been The issue came up for Local 122 of the the solidarity needed in Chiapas from the —Gloria Rubac assassinated by right-wing paramilitar- UAW again when some members wanted ies in collusion with foreign corporations. to resume serving Coke at the hall. This Nine Coke workers have been murdered; prompted boycott supporters to draft a Cardona personally witnessed the murder formal resolution on the issue, stating of Isidro Gil on the premises of the com- clear support for the boycott and pledging pany in 1996. to win support from other UAW bodies. In 2003 Sinaltrainal called for an The UAW nationally has not yet embraced international boycott of all Coca-Cola the Coke campaign. products. The boycott has been endorsed The resolution passed unanimously at by a number of labor organizations, the local’s January membership meeting. including the American Postal Workers It was also well received the next day at a Union, Service Employees International, meeting of the UAW Community Action American Federation of Teachers, Project Council, comprised of elected del- National Education Association, Inter­ egates of many UAW locals. national Longshore and Warehouse Meanwhile, on Jan. 20, student activ- Union, UNISON, the largest union in ists from a dozen Ohio campuses met at a Britain, and VERDI, a 4-million-member day-long teach-in sponsored by the Inter- union in Germany. Student activists have Religious Task Force in Cleveland. March convinced 30 college campuses in the 1 has been declared an all-Ohio day of n Photo: John Herrera U.S. and around the world to stop serving action to support the Coke campaign. Page 10 Feb. 8, 2007 www.workers.org

Watada trial starts Feb. 5 The real cancer Army drops two charges promising drug for fighting can- slowing down what could be a fantastic against resister cer is found. It has already been medical breakthrough. proven relatively safe. Laboratory DCA is “cheap, does not appear to A Continued from page 6 Sarah Olson of Oakland, Calif., and Greg and animal tests have shown it kills can- affect normal cells, we know its side Kakesako of the Honolulu Star-Bulletin— cer cells and shrinks tumors. effects, and it should work on all can- last summer—powerful words, but pro- and force them to testify concerning the You would think the drug companies cers,” says the edit. “But there’s a hitch: tected under the Constitution. lieutenant’s words. Watada is from Hawaii would fall all over themselves to do the it’s an old drug and so cannot be patent- Watada’s case has been closely sup- and his parents are well-known public fig- clinical trials necessary for the drug to be ed. No pharmaceutical company is likely ported by the growing anti-war move- ures there. prescribed to cancer patients. Right? to fund costly clinical trials without some ment. His father, Bob Watada, spoke to The Army decided to drop the subpoe- Wrong. exclusive rights to make the drug.” the massive rally in Washington, D.C., on nas on Jan. 29 after a campaign to defend This may be the biggest scandal to hit It points out that many other drugs Jan. 27. That same day Watada’s mother, the right of the media to report on cases the medical world in years. Yet so far, all that could treat diseases affecting poor Carolyn Ho, addressed the protest in San of dissenters had begun to pick up sup- the commercial U.S. media have stayed people in developing countries are also Francisco. Lt. Watada himself was one of port from the National Press Club, the away from reporting on it. left on the shelf without the proper test- the main speakers to over 1,000 people at Society of Professional Journalists, PEN An article in the Jan. 20 issue of New ing, and for the same reason: there’s not the Seattle protest, where he received a American Center, Military Reporters and Scientist, a highly reputable British enough profit in it. prolonged ovation. Editors, and many individual writers and magazine, gives the details. Researchers The editorial even predicts that drug In Seattle, Watada ended by compar- journalists. at the University of Alberta in Canada companies may try to manufacture and ing the U.S. occupation of Iraq to what it In a statement, Olson said, “This should have discovered that the drug dichloroac- patent new drugs similar to DCA and get would have been like if Britain or France be seen as a victory for the rights of jour- etate (DCA) killed lung, breast and brain them on the market soon--but they will had intervened in the U.S. Civil War: nalists in the U.S. to gather and dissemi- cancer cells cultured outside the body. be “hugely expensive.” It concludes, “It “What if they killed President Abraham nate news free from government inter- “Tumors in rats deliberately infected would be a scandal if a cheap alternative Lincoln, put the South in charge of the vention, and for the rights of individuals with human cancer also shrank drastical- with such astonishing potential were not country and changed the Constitution to to express personal, political opinions to ly when they were fed DCA-laced water given a chance simply because it won’t benefit French and British companies?” journalists without fear of retribution or for several weeks,” says the article. turn a big enough profit.” he said. “If we truly believe in democracy censure. I am glad the growing number of DCA is not a new drug. It has been There it is in a nutshell. The problem we must listen to what the Iraqis want.” dissenting voices within the military will used for years to treat michondrial dis- with the whole medical industry is that (Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Jan. 28) retain their rights to speak with reporters. ease. It is cheap and has limited side it’s not an industry to promote health, But I note with concern that Lt. Watada effects. Scientists decided to try it on it’s an industry to promote profits. In Subpoenas on journalists lifted still faces prosecution for exercising his cancer cells because it affects the metab- fact, the more sick people there are, To prosecute the case against Watada, First Amendment rights during public olism of cells, the way they use energy. the more money there is to be made. the Army had attempted to subpoena presentations.” This is a different approach than the Pharmaceuticals make up one of the two reporters—independent journalist E-mail: [email protected] chemotherapy drugs now in use, which most profitable industries in this coun- are toxic and kill off both cancerous and try, raking in hundreds of billions every normal cells. year. Lebanon. What has scientists especially excited In the U.S., where the medical indus- is that DCA has the potential of working try is the most advanced technologically, against all types of cancers, including it’s also the most expensive and the secondary cancers caused when cells least efficient when the cost is measured ‘Operation Condor’? break off and migrate to other parts of against the general health of the people. hydrocarbon law, drafted by U.S. contrac- the body. That’s why 47 million people here have Continued from page 7 tors, will give oil corporations a lock on So what’s the hitch? no health coverage. injured, but the strike was not broken. Iraq’s vast oil reserves. If the U.S. bombs The article explains, “The next step There are many reasons to be for a In a press conference, Free Patriotic Iran’s oilfields, the value of Iraqi oil is to run clinical trials of DCA in people revolutionary socialist reorganization of Movement leader Michel Aoun showed could double. But getting that oil to mar- with cancer. These may have to be fund- society. First and foremost are the need photos of masked gunmen attacking ket in the West requires reactivating old ed by charities, universities and govern- to end poverty, exploitation, war and the strikers in North Lebanon. pipelines that run to the Mediterranean ments: pharmaceutical companies are oppression of people just because of their On Jan. 25, a conference of “interna- through Syria and Lebanon. unlikely to pay because they can’t make nationality, sex or gender expression. tional donors” convened in Paris under The Iraqi Resistance is unlikely to allow money on unpatented medicines.” But issues like cancer and the messed- U.S. and French auspices raised $7 bil- U.S. firms to ship oil through the southern An editorial in the same issue of up environment, which can affect any- lion to prop up the debt-ridden Siniora port of Basra. To loot Iraq, Big Oil needs the magazine lays it out even further. one, should make it clearer than ever regime. The same day, pro-Siniora gangs to impose subservient regimes on Syria Entitled “No patent? No thanks,” with that all humanity will benefit mightily invaded the campus of the Arab University and Lebanon. As the mass movement that the streamer, “There’s an anti-cancer when the parasitic billionaire class that of Beirut and murdered two students. A has arisen in Lebanon shows, that’s not drug with huge potential, but no back- currently stifles true progress is toppled Shiite man bicycling through the neigh- likely to happen. ers,” it explains how the profit motive is from its seat of power. n borhood was also gunned down by goons In a speech Jan. 30 to hundreds of thou- from Jumblatt’s PSP. sands of Muslims gathered in southern Opposition supporters rushed to the Beirut to mark the Shia festival of Ashura, campus and drove off the attackers before Nasrallah warned that the U.S. aims to Palestinian jailed in U.S. the army intervened to clear the streets. instigate sectarian civil war in Lebanon, Al Manar television, which the Bush Palestine and Iraq. begins hunger strike regime has banned in the United States, “George Bush wants to punish you released pictures of snipers on rooftops because you have triumphed and, in the Continued from page 7 abuse of governmental power by the Bush firing at protesters. American era, you are not allowed to keep Standing by the terms of his agreement, administration to contact the following The stakes in Lebanon go beyond your heads raised.” But, he added, “We he continued to refuse to answer. Judge officials and demand Dr. Sami Al-Arian’s Washington’s desire to prop up a banker- are people who refuse humiliation and Gerald Lee denied any motions from Al- immediate release: Judge Gerald Lee, friendly regime in a country with a $45 disgrace. Lebanon has been and always Arian’s lawyers about the legal standing Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, Rep. billion debt. For the White House and will be the graveyard of invaders.” of the plea agreement and sentenced him John Conyers and Sen. Patrick Leahy. the Pentagon, Lebanon is a pawn in their Bill Cecil was in Lebanon in November to jail for the duration of the grand jury’s More information can be found at www. plans for wider war in the region. and December covering the growing term—which extends past his April 2007 freesamialarian.com. n The Bush regime hopes Iraq’s new people’s movement there. release date from the Florida trial. So Al-Arian has begun a hunger strike. He is a diabetic and his health has suf- fered greatly during the harsh conditions Subscribe to Workers World newspaper of his almost four-year incarceration. Nevertheless, he has steadfastly main- 4 weeks trial subscription $1 One year subscription: $25 tained his support for the Palestinian people and their right to struggle against Name______occupation. Like the many detainees at Guantánamo, Abu Ghraib and other torture hellholes, Al- Address______Arian’s human and civil rights have been City ______State ______Zip ______systematically denied by the U.S. govern- ment and its agents. Phone ______E-mail ______His supporters have issued an urgent Workers World Newspaper plea asking everyone concerned about the 55 W. 17 St. 5 Fl.,NY, NY 10011 212-627-2994 www.workers.org www.workers.org Feb. 8, 2007 Page 11 U.N. occupation of Haiti intensifies By G. Dunkel people, including women and children. were killed in this attack. arrested as much as two years ago. Some Yet they claim to be “peacekeepers.” After centuries of Western hostility to of the most prominent political prisoners, Ever since the coup-kidnapping of the The National Commission on Justice this Black republic, most people in Haiti like Sò Ann (Anne Auguste) have been popular president of Haiti, Jean-Bertrand and Peace, sponsored by the Roman are desperately poor. Even though Haitian released, but hundreds more are still in Aristide, on Feb. 29, 2004, this Caribbean Catholic bishops of Haiti, published a police, who are commanded by U.N. offi- jail. Fanmi Lavalas members who were country has been occupied. First it was report on Jan. 23 acknowledging that cers under a deal struck with the previ- fired because of their political affiliations troops from the United States, France 539 people died from “armed violence” in ous, un-elected government, have flooded still haven’t been rehired. and Canada. Then a U.N.-sanctioned and October, November and December. The the streets of Port au Prince, parents are Most importantly, Aristide is still in exile commanded force, mainly from Latin deaths are concentrated in “the poor com- so afraid of kidnapping that they did not in South Africa, while the gangsters and America and called Minustah, took over munities of Martissant, Grande Ravine send their children to school after the win- mass murderers who carried out the coup and provided a cover for this imperialist and Bolosse, the southern suburbs of Port ter holidays, according to Haïti-Progrès against him, with the financial and organi- intervention. au Prince and in Cité Soleil to the north,” (Jan. 17 to 23). zational support of the U.S. government, Minustah stands for the U.N. according to the commission’s report. A number of Haitians living in the are walking around Port au Prince. The Stabilization Mission in Haiti, but its “In November and December [2006] United States who usually go home for people of Haiti want their president back. intervention has meant “death, terror and Minustah and the Haitian National Police the holidays didn’t this year out of fear Given the U.N.’s occupation of Haiti, lawlessness for the people of Haiti,” as a (PNH) became more active in the struggle of being kidnapped for ransom in Haiti. which is just a thin cover for the role of the statement from Fanmi Lavalas, Aristide’s against gangsters; their actions created Some have told this reporter that they feel United States, France and Canada, and its political party, puts it. victims, which in no way means their vic- the cops are involved, along with gang- worsening economic situation, the Haiti Even the U.S. State Department, in tims were bandits,” the report continues. sters. There have been press reports that Action Committee has called an interna- documents recently obtained by the Haiti The day after the report was published, police uniforms have been found in the tionally coordinated day of protests. For Information Project (HIP) about a U.N. 300 U.N. soldiers in 20 armored person- possession of kidnappers. information on these protests, call 510- raid in Cité Soleil in July 2005, admits nel carriers, with bulldozers and helicop- Henri Laforest, brother of well-known 483-7481 in the U.S. that the U.N. troops used “excessive ters, raided Cité Soleil and demolished a New York activist Ray Laforest, was In New York, Fanmi Lavalas and force,” which is like a butcher calling a “gang’s hideout that had been used for recently shot through the heart after leav- other groups in the Haitian community slaughterhouse worker bloody. criminal attacks against Minustah posts,” ing a bank in Haiti. It is not clear whether have called a major demonstration on These attacks have continued. According was the version given by U.N. spokesper- the motive was robbery or political. Wednesday, Feb. 7 in front of the United to residents of Cité Soleil, cited by HIP, son Col. Abdesslam Elamarti, speaking to Political activists are also angry that Nations from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. Call 718- U.N. forces attacked in the early morn- Haiti’s AlterPress service. Haiti en Marche there are still political prisoners who have 469-2078 for more information in the ing of Dec. 22, 2006, killing more than 30 reported that five residents of Cité Soleil not even been charged, although they were New York metropolitan area. n In blow to Bush ‘renditions’ Canada to pay torture victim $9M

By Beverly Hiestand ated with Washington in the deportation finding that Canadian police had falsely Maria LaHood, Arar’s U.S. lawyer, said of a Canadian to Syria, where he was tor- accused Arar of being an Islamic extrem- the Bush administration is still not com- At last there has been an official repudi- tured and imprisoned for nearly a year. ist linked to al-Qaeda. The compensation ing clean and is keeping him on a watch ation of Washington’s policy of “extraor- Canadian Prime Minister Stephen is the highest in Canadian history and list to protect its position in a lawsuit he dinary rendition”—capturing people and Harper on Jan. 26 publicly apologized to the first relating to the torture of a citizen has filed. Even Prime Minister Harper sending them to other countries to be Maher Arar, a 36-year-old software engi- overseas. (Globe and Mail, Jan. 26) has said, “We simply have a U.S. govern- tortured. This blow to the Bush regime neer born in Syria, and his family. Harper While traveling to Montreal from ment that won’t admit it’s wrong.” comes not from the U.S. but from Canada, announced that Arar would be compen- Tunisia on a Canadian passport, Arar was Since his return to Canada, Arar, who however. sated $8.9 million for Ottawa’s role in detained by U.S. authorities at New York’s is studying for his Ph.D. in a computer- The Canadian government has admit- allowing the U.S. to deport him. JFK airport on Sept. 26, 2002. He was related field, has been unable to find a job ted that it acted illegally when it cooper- The compensation follows a judicial chained and shackled by U.S. authorities in his discipline. He is unable to travel for 11 days of interrogation and told he to numerous countries. His career has would not be admitted to the U.S. been destroyed. He has depression and A week later a Canadian consular offi- post-traumatic stress disorder, and has Chicago & Denver: The war at home cer visited Arar and said he thought he expressed great difficulty in making a new would be returned to Canada. However, life for himself and his family in British Continued from page 4 City Hall under Mayor Richard M. Daley four days later Arar was deported to Syria, Columbia. Woodland, Jr., a 13- year-old shot by is a nest of corruption—that’s how the where he was housed in a three-by-six-foot “I have a stressful life every single min- police in the near-north side public hous- Democratic Party conducts business on a cell, interrogated and tortured over several ute. I’m tired. Every day, the cloud is still ing development called Cabrini-Green. day-to-day basis. months until he confessed—falsely—to ter- over me. I’m not like a normal family Community members responded swift- These struggles with the police are rorist training in Afghanistan. Although he father any more. It’s very hard for people to ly to the shooting with a large demonstra- occurring as the Cabrini-Green commu- was visited on occasion by the Canadian understand what I’ve been going through, tion in front of the local police station; the nity is being gentrified, with residents dis- consul, the ambassador and visiting mem- unless they come and live with me, and see cops attacked them, too. Fleming and the placed by the Chicago Housing Authority bers of Parliament, it was never in private it all.” (Globe and Mail, Jan 26) Hip-Hop Congress, who organized the (CHA) and the real estate speculators in and he was afraid to talk freely. This case and increased awareness of initial protest, then kept the heat on the whose interest it acts. The CHA has demol- After much public pressure, his case U.S. seizure and rendition to torture cen- Chicago Police Department (CPD) with ished 25,000 units of public housing. But was investigated in Canada. In October ters in other countries have raised the ire two additional demonstrations, at the because families often live doubled up in 2003 he was freed by the U.S. and of people around the world, who are pres- Chicago Board of Trade and the Federal these units, this figure does not accurately returned home. Finally, three years later suring their governments. Reserve Bank. represent how many people have actually on Sept. 18, 2006, he was exonerated of A European Union parliamentary com- The result of the community’s decision been displaced or made homeless. any wrongdoing. mittee has called on Italy to apologize for to raise the level of struggle was signifi- Fleming put this process into perspec- The Canadian inquiry found that the allowing the U.S. to use Rome as a stop- cant. The Chicago Police Department was tive by describing the CHA’s actions as Royal Canadian Mounted Police investi- over base for the flight that took Arar forced to change its procedures so that “urbanized cleansing,” noting that hous- gators had given inaccurate, unfair and to be tortured. The EU legislators urge charges brought against officers will now ing is a human right, according to the UN overstated evidence to U.S. authorities. “speedy compensation” for people subject remain in that accused officer’s personnel Charter. He sees the fact that 150,000 peo- The judge also noted a pattern of inves- to rendition. file forever. ple are on a waiting list for public housing tigative practices that included officials Its proposed legislation urges member The struggle against police brutal- in Chicago as a crime against humanity. accepting and relying upon information countries to condemn this practice as an ity in Chicago had also been taken up by Fleming linked deep cuts in social that might be the product of torture. illegal instrument used by the U.S. It calls Alderwoman Arenda Troutman of the services at home to increased spending Left unanswered was the question of why for the payment of restitution by member 20th Ward, which includes some of the for U.S. imperialism’s neo-colonial war the U.S. government sent Arar to Syria. countries that have allowed CIA planes most oppressed African American neigh- against the Iraqi people, saying: “You take The Canadian government’s settle- to use their airports to refuel en route to borhoods in the city. Troutman intended care of your family first. Why focus on Iraq ment also removed Arar’s name from its secret prisons. Scores of these CIA “ghost to introduce legislation on Jan. 10 to cre- when there’s a housing crisis at home?” list of potential terrorists. However, U.S. planes” are alleged to have passed through ate an independent citizen review board Another approach to human needs Attorney General Alberto Gonzales and Italy, Britain, Germany, Sweden and oth- over the CPD. On Jan. 8 federal agents came through in Fleming’s description Homeland Security Secretary Michael er European countries. The European with dogs broke into her home, smash- of his work with the Venezuelan consul- Chertoff have told Canadian officials that Parliament will vote on it next month. ing a window and forcing their way in, to ate to implement Mission Miracle in Arar is still on their watch list. Stockwell These efforts further isolate the U.S. arrest her for “corruption.” Cabrini-Green. Through this program for Day, Canada’s public safety minister, after government for its anti-terrorism poli- Fleming highlighted the racist hypoc- poor and working-class communities, the traveling to Washington and viewing a cies and continue to strip away what little risy surrounding the corruption charge Bolivarian revolutionary government of confidential file concerning Arar, said international support the U.S. drummed against the popular African American Venezuela provides free laser eye surgery that it contained “nothing new” to justify up for its imperialist war in the Middle politician. He pointed out that Chicago’s to those in need. n blocking him from entering the U.S. East. n ¡Proletarios y oprimidos de todos los países, uníos! Su ayuda es necesaria para liberar a los cinco cubanos Yo y otr@s activistas lesbianas, gay, más. ¿Dónde está… la gente con valor Ahora debemos llegar a centenares de Solidaridad del Arco Iris lista en tantos bisexuales y trans que trabajan con el suficiente para insistir que los presos no millares más para ejercer una presión idiomas como sea posible para l@s fir- comité de Nueva York para liberar a los deben ser sometidos a torturas? “(Letters de gran alcance sobre el gobierno de los mantes en línea en www.freethefiveny. Cinco Cubanos, le exhortamos firmar el of Love and Hope: The Story of the Cuban EEUU para liberar a los Cinco. Una vez org. También pondremos una petición de siguiente llamado y ayudar a circularlo 5) el llamado sea firmado por much@s, lo muestra en línea con el llamado de modo ampliamente. Los Cinco Cubanos son Pocas horas después de que saliera el enviaremos al Procurador General de la que usted pueda descargarlo para distri- presos políticos retenidos por el gobierno llamado de la Solidaridad del Arco Iris nación para demandar un nuevo juicio y buirlo masivamente. Por favor póngase de los Estados Unidos por el “crimen” con los Cinco Cubanos, centenares de la libertad para los 5. en contacto conmigo si acaso usted puede de intentar detener ataques terroristas individuos y organizaciones que luchan Envíe por favor su nombre, orga- ayudar a traducir esta introducción y el desde los EEUU contra Cuba. Las cortes contra la opresión basada en la orient- nización, identificación (es importante llamado a otros idiomas. estadounidenses negaron recientemente ación sexual, la expresión del género y que precise si la organización endosa o si Trabajando junt@s, podremos ayudar la decisión para convocar a un nuevo del sexo, firmaron inmediatamente con es solamente para la identificación suya) a los Cinco Cubanos. juicio. Con este llamado esperamos ren- mucho entusiasmo. y ciudad, estado y país: a transgender- ¡Libertad para los Cinco! ovar la energía para aumentar la indig- Además, personas con conciencia a [email protected]. Y por favor, Leslie Feinberg nación por el señalamiento y el encar- través de los Estados Unidos y alrededor circule este llamado ampliamente, celamiento continuado de estos presos del mundo, de todas las nacionalidades, animando a tod@s a quienes les políticos. edades, sexos, géneros y sexualidades, importe la justicia, para que lo Como dijo Alice Walker, “La historia están agregando sus nombres también a firmen. de los Cinco Cubanos es una de valor, de este llamado. Para el fin de semana del 13 al grandes sacrificios y de amor. Es una his- Junt@s, con el espíritu de una unidad 14 de enero esperamos ten- toria que perdurará… el tratamiento que genuina, estamos edificando un Arco Iris er la página web han recibido es vergonzoso; el silencio de Solidaridad para los Cinco Cubanos de la alrededor de este tratamiento lo es aun que está recorriendo el planeta. Solidaridad del Arco Iris para los Cinco Cubanos Activistas lesbianas, gay, Fernando González, Ramón Labañino, Antonio Guerrero, Gerardo Hernández bisexuales, y trans lanzan iniciativa and René González.

Por Leslie Feinberg EEUU y de alrededor del mundo: México, sistema (interlocking) de opresión racial, India Anti-Imperialist Forum; Latin Brasil, Hong Kong, India, Costa Rica, sexual, heterosexual y clasista”. American Solidarity Committee, task El llamado del Arco Iris para la soli- Nueva Zelanda, Irlanda, Gales, Italia, Las ex prisioneras políticas Laura force of the Western New York Peace daridad con los Cinco Cubanos está recor- Dinamarca, Finlandia, Japón, Alemania, Whitehorn y Linda Evans añadieron sus Center; VIRTUAL u.s. Peace Academy riendo el planeta. El 7 de enero activistas Canadá, Australia, Bélgica, Portugal y nombres. en Seattle, Wash.; y The United Peoples, lesbianas, gay, bisexuales y trans (LGBT) España. Imani Henri, autor y artista y la artista Denmark. que colaboran con el comité de Nueva Holly Hughes, endosaron. También lo York para liberar a los Cinco Cubanos Firmantes provienen hicieron la renombrada cartonista les- ‘Se necesita su ayuda!’ publicaron la declaración que llamaba de toda la gama política biana y novelista gráfica Alison Bechdel En menos de una semana después de a un nuevo juicio y la libertad para los Desde temprano, l@s firmantes en y muchas figuras del ámbito del literato que el llamado inicial circulara alrededor Cinco Cubanos prisioneros en cárceles los EEUU vinieron desde toda la gama político, incluyendo a Minnie Bruce Pratt, del planeta, la Solidaridad del Arco Iris estadounidenses. política. Incluían a Teresa Gutiérrez, Matt/ilda alias Matt Bernstein Sycamore, para los Cinco Cubanos publicó su pági- El único “crimen” de los Cinco es que quien por mucho tiempo ha sido líder en Eileen Myles, Sarah Schulman y Catherine na de Internet en el portal del Comité de infiltraron a grupos mercenarios que la lucha para liberar a los Cinco; la ex- Ryan Hyde. Nueva York para Liberar a los 5 Cubanos. operaban desde los EEUUA con la ayuda prisionera política y abolicionista de pri- Muchas organizaciones firmaron, pueden verlo en : www.freethefiveny.org/ de la CIA con el fin de vigilarlos y detener siones, Angela Davis; Leslie Cagan, quien incluyendo el “Audre Lorde Project”, un rainboweng.htm. planes terroristas contra Cuba. es coordinadora de “United for Peace centro de personas de color lesbianas, La introducción a la iniciativa y al lla- El llamado de Solidaridad del Arco and Justice”; LeiLani Dowell, coordina- gay, bisexuales, de dos espíritus y trans- mado están en inglés, español, chino sim- Iris concluye diciendo “El pueblo cubano dora nacional de FIST (Luchemos Contra géneros que enfocan el organizar en las ple y tradicional. tiene el derecho a su autodeterminación el Imperialismo, Unámonos); Stephen comunidades de la ciudad de Nueva York; La introducción a la iniciativa y al lla- y soberanía. EEUUA debe detener el Funk, el marino estadounidense que FIERCE!, una organización comunitaria mado han sido traducidos al farsi, portu- ataque que tiene contra Cuba a través estuvo preso por ser objetor de concien- para jóvenes trans, lesbianas, gay, bisexu- gués, alemán y francés y serán añadidos del bloqueo económico y de los ejérci- cia por la guerra de Irak; Bev Tang, orga- ales, dos espíritus, “queer”, y “question- próximamente a la página. Se espera que tos “contra” mercenarios entrenados por nizadora de Anakbayan, grupo juvenil de ing” de color en Nueva York; “QUIT” más traducciones sean añadidas, incluy- la CIA y que operan en suelo estadoun- Bayan; Gerry Scoppettuolo, co-fundador (por las siglas en inglés traducido como endo al tagalog, japonés, coreano, ital- idense. Esos son actos ilegales de guerra. de “GALLAN-Pride at Work” en Boston; Queers socavando el terrorismo israelí); iano y una versión de video en lenguaje ¡Llamamos a un nuevo juicio y la liber- Lani Ka’ahumanu, de BiNET USA; la “Trans Action Canada”; LAGAI-Queer por seña. ación de los 5 Cubanos!” activista comunitaria en Atlanta, Pat Insurrection; Stonewall Warriors, Boston; Exhortamos a l@s lector@s a visitar A las pocas horas de salir el llamado Hussain; Camille Hopkins, directora de y Queers Without Borders, Hartford, el portal www.freethefiveny.org para que para la Solidaridad del Arco Iris con los NYTRO, organización para los derechos Conn. añadan sus nombres y ayuden a difun- Cinco, cerca de 200 personas y orga- de trans en NY; activista trans Moonhawk Adicionalmente, personas con con- dir esta noticia para que otras personas nizaciones que luchan contra la opresión River Stone; y Jesse Lokahi Heiwa del ciencia a través de los Estados Unidos y hagan lo mismo. basada en la sexualidad, la expresión del “Queer People of Color Action”. a través del mundo de todas las naciona- Aquellas personas que tengan ideas género y del sexo habían firmado, muchas Las activistas Barbara Smith y Margo lidades, edades, sexos, género, y sexuali- do cómo ampliar la difusión de esta ini- de ellas añadiendo comentarios entusias- Okazawa-Rey firmaron. Las dos eran dades están añadiendo sus nombres tam- ciativa les urgimos a enviar un mensaje a tas. Lo más excitante para l@s organiza- parte de las personas fundadoras del bién a este llamado. l@s organizador@s a rainbowsolidarity- dor@s fue ver cómo much@s de l@s fir- Colectivo Combahee River, un grupo Organizaciones que no son exclusi- [email protected]. mantes inmediatamente se hicieron vol- de feministas negras de todas las sexu- vamente LGBT firmaron bajo el espíritu Como concluye el llamado en la web: untari@s para circular el llamado. alidades quienes en 1977 publicaron de unidad, incluyendo Anakbayan-Los ¡Se necesita su ayuda para liberar a los Los endosos vinieron de todo los una declaración histórica en contra del Angeles; Bayan-Sur de California; All Cinco Cubanos! n