MUNDO OBRERO Honduras 12

Workers and oppressed peoples of the world unite! July 16, 2009 Vol. 51, No. 28 50¢ In solidarity with Gaza Aid convoy to defy Israeli blockade By John Parker Cairo, Egypt CYNTHIA MCKINNEY BACK HOME JUSTICE July 6—The first delegation of Viva Pal- Activists freed from Zionist jail 8 estina USA flew with British MP George FOR POLITICAL PRISONERS! Galloway on July 4 to Cairo, where 200 essential, like steel and concrete necessary the people of Gaza are in intense need of people and a convoy of trucks carrying to rebuild the 47,000 homes damaged in medical care. Mumia millions of dollars worth of medical sup- the recent war by Israel, according to an Al It has been reported and verified by plies will drive to the border of Gaza. The Jazeera reporter in Gaza on June 27, or half medical staff that at least 75 tons of de- Abu-Jamal delegation will demand entry into that ter- of the hospitals destroyed. pleted uranium were dropped on this tiny ritory, whose people have been denied ba- The International Committee of the strip of land containing 1.5 million peo-  sic necessities due to the Israeli blockade. Red Cross reported on June 29 that those ple. The effects of radiation poisoning due SF 8 victory Delegates spent the previous day pack- living in Gaza are “trapped in despair.” to the use of that U.S.-made weapon are ing materials and had to unpack them at The report states that the people of Gaza, now becoming ever more apparent in the Troy Davis 3,4 the airport and get them on the plane. whose homes were destroyed during Is- population in Gaza. Wearing blue T-shirts with the Pales- rael’s 23-day blitzkrieg, are still without But Israel’s crimes didn’t stop last Jan- tinian flag on them, the delegates remain shelter despite pledges of almost $4.5 bil- uary. Just three days before our delega- identifiable to all who see them, both at lion in aid. This is because Israel refuses tion landed in Cairo, 17-year-old Hyam JFK airport in New York from where they to allow cement and other building mate- Ayash was killed in Mughraqa in Gaza on DEFEND left and here in Egypt, where the recep- rial into the Gaza Strip. July 2 by a shell fired from an Israeli tank. tion has been good. But the genocide by Israel does not stop Clearly all aid, no matter how small, is AFFIRMATIVE ACTION According to a mainstream newspaper at denying building construction. The sorely needed in Gaza, whether it comes passed out on our EgyptAir flight titled report exposes that Israel is keeping pa- from the Spirit of Humanity or Viva Pal- Answering Supreme “Israel mulling easing Gaza embargo, tients from receiving medical assistance estina. What is most needed, however, Court ruling 4 report says,” Israel’s Defense Ministry since Israel disrupts medical supplies is to expose the genocidal nature of the has recommended a partial lifting of the coming into Gaza. Israeli blockade and exert international embargo on Gaza as a goodwill gesture Everyone in Egypt, which borders Gaza pressure demanding it cease immediate- toward the Palestinians in order to spur and maintains the Israeli blockade at the ly. This is the goal of many of these mis- JOBS, JOBS, JOBS! along talks to free an Israeli soldier held border—from people in the streets to taxi sions to Gaza. editorial 10 by the Hamas government in Gaza. drivers and all those following newspa- The writer is a member of the Viva However, Hamas will not release him pers and TV—is exposed to the fact that Palestina USA delegation. without getting in return the many politi- cal prisoners languishing in Israeli jails, Close to 20,000 people filled the Staples which has increased by more than 20 Center July 7 in Los Angeles to pay a final since the Israeli kidnapping of Cynthia tribute to the legendary Michael Jackson McKinney and the other international del- who died on June 25. On July 6, thousands egates and crew on the Spirit of Humanity of fans of all ages and nationalities waited outside of Israeli waters on June 30. hours in line to sign a giant memorial card The article stated that Israel would in- outside the Center. On page 7, read a WW crease supplies of coffee, tea, soups, meat, commentary on Jackson. fish and canned goods and renew ship- ments of fuel, clothing, kitchenware and egg-laying chickens into Gaza ahead of Ramadan, which begins in August. This is to be linked to progress being made to release the Israeli soldier. Even if one were to believe that this ne- gotiation by Israel is genuine, the products mentioned do not include some of the most

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AFRICAN SUMMIT Promotes greater unity 11 HONDURAS Masses vow to resist coup 9 Manifestación apoya indígenas de Perú

Page 2 July 16, 2009 www.workers.org ‘Food, Inc.’:

Another capitalist crisis H In the U.S. Thousands pay tribute to Michael Jackson ...... 1 By Betsey Piette may be as little as $18,000. Those who don’t go along, ‘Food, Inc ’:. Another capitalist crisis...... 2 like Maryland chicken farmer Carole Morison, who Filmmaker Robert Kenner’s documentary “Food, Inc.” agreed to be interviewed for the film despite threats from Mumia Abu-Jamal supporters call for investigation...... 3 is a powerful condemnation of the food industry under Perdue, face the loss of their investments. Another farm- Cynthia McKinney demands justice for Mumia...... 3 capitalism—a must-see film that explores the mecha- er declined to open up his barn where all the latest “fac- Troy Davis decision postponed...... 3 nization of U.S. agriculture, which, with the consent of tory methods” were being used because Tyson instructed Supreme Court sets back affirmative action ...... 4 government regulatory agencies, threatens consumers him not to. and workers alike. In the early 20th century, Upton Sinclair’s classic in- State gov’ts attack poison control centers...... 4 “Food, Inc.” picks up from films like “The Future of dictment of the exploitation of workers in the beef pro- Charges dropped against SF8 ...... 4 Food,” “Fast Food Nation” and “King Corn” by connect- cessing industry opened the way for the growth of pow- Stella D’oro workers win NLRB victory ...... 5 ing the dots that calorie-laden McDonald’s-type fast erful unions which helped improve consumer safety and Recording industry’s piracy and profits...... 5 food, heavy reliance on the use of corn and corn byprod- working conditions over the decades. ucts, and Monsanto’s genetically engineered soy beans But in the last 30 years, the increasing monopoliza- Providence, R I. :. A demand for jobs, justice...... 5 and other patented seeds are part of a larger picture of tion of the industry has undermined these improve- Atlanta march demands transgender rights...... 5 an agricultural industry controlled by fewer and fewer ments. Today’s reality is far worse than anything Sinclair WW is having a National Fund Drive!...... 6 corporations. exposed, and the role of unions in the industry has been The life and death of Michael Jackson ...... 7 Food writers Michael Pollan (“In Defense of Food”) seriously undercut. and Eric Schlosser (“Fast Food Nation”) narrate the film Cattle are crowded into centrally organized feed areas– Rally defends Muslims under attack...... 8 that reveals an industry driven, not by concerns for hu- massive plots where they are jammed together, standing man consumption, but strictly by the drive to in their own feces, and fed a diet heavy in corn that H Around the world maximize profits. ww. their bodies are not biologically designed to digest. Aid convoy to defy Israeli blockade ...... 1 “Food, Inc.” starts by examining McDonald’s . These cattle, sometimes too heavy to stand, are McKinney, others released from Israeli jails...... 8 introduction of high technology in the 1960s, driven to massive factories to be slaughtered and review . Hondurans vow to fight on against coup...... 9 which revolutionized the fast food industry by processed in an industrial setting. using assembly-line style preparation. Each worker per- Often contaminated with E. coli bacteria as a result of Haiti unionist on minimum-wage struggle...... 9 forms only one repetitive job, whether it’s flipping hun- the feeding process, the meat from these animals is mixed U S. . stays in Kyrgyzstan ...... 10 dreds of burgers each hour or placing pickles in the same together with that of thousands of others. Roughly 73,000 African Union Summit discusses greater unity...... 11 precise spot on every sesame seed bun. people in the U.S. are sickened annually as a result. This allowed such a speed-up in production that mil- Rather than addressing the root causes of the contami- H Editorials lions of items could be sold at relatively low cost. Work- nation, or switching to grass feed, the owners of these in- Jobs, jobs, jobs!...... 10 ers were less likely to organize because they could eas- dustrial farms introduce more high-tech solutions, such ily be replaced, and consumers came to rely on quick, as spraying ammonia onto the meat to kill the bacteria. H Noticias En Español cheap, albeit highly caloric meals. Hogs are grown by the millions in confined spaces and not moved until the day they are slaughtered. In the Honduras...... 12 Assembly line horrors for animals, workers Smithfield Hog Processing plant in Tar Heel, N.C., the This same high-tech assembly-line strategy was gradu- largest slaughterhouse in the world, 32,000 hogs are ally adopted by meat and poultry companies, where ev- killed each day. erything from handling of baby chickens to the final pack- Smithfield’s workers, many of whom are undocu- Workers World aging of hamburger was driven by machines. Workers mented, not only labor in an unsafe and unhealthy en- 55 West 17 Street each have one task to perform before the product (food) vironment, but are frequently targeted by Immigration New York, N.Y. 10011 they are working on passes to the next person on the line. and Customs Enforcement raids. One raid is caught on Phone: (212) 627-2994 Kenner explores the increasing monopolization of tape in the film. Fax: (212) 675-7869 beef, poultry and pig production, with only a handful of The raid makes the point that the partnership between E-mail: [email protected] companies, including Tyson, JBS Swift, Armour, Perdue, U.S. corporations and the U.S. government resulted in Web: www.workers.org Cargill Meat Solutions and Smithfield, controlling these the North American Free Trade Agreement, which al- Vol. 51, No. 28 • July 16, 2009 industries. In the 1970s the top five beef packers con- lowed subsidized corn produced in the U.S. to flood the Closing date: July 7, 2009 trolled about 25 percent of the market. Today, the top Mexican market. Many out-of-work Mexican farmers Editor: Deirdre Griswold four control more than 80 percent. These giant agribusi- were enticed by companies like Smithfield to come to ness companies declined to be interviewed for the film. the U.S., while ICE looked away. Now these same work- Technical Editor: Lal Roohk “Food, Inc.” explores the poultry industry’s prac- ers are targeted by ICE while Smithfield bosses continue Managing Editors: John Catalinotto, LeiLani Dowell, tices of tube feeding growth hormones and antibiotics their operations, this time bussing in workers from over Leslie Feinberg, Monica Moorehead, Gary Wilson to thousands of chickens crowded into dark, confined, a 100-mile radius for their Tar Heel farm-factories. West Coast Editor: John Parker poorly ventilated “barns.” Designed to produce plumper Contributing Editors: Abayomi Azikiwe, chickens in less time, this technique to maximize profits Profits from Agent Orange to soybeans Greg Butterfield, Jaimeson Champion, G. Dunkel, results in animals too heavy to stand. Prior to changing its name, Monsanto was a chemi- Fred Goldstein, Teresa Gutierrez, Larry Hales, The average chicken farmer invests over $500,000 cal company that produced DDT and one of the compa- Kris Hamel, David Hoskins, Berta Joubert-Ceci, to buy these industrial “barns,” while the annual return nies that produced Agent Orange. In 1996 it introduced Cheryl LaBash, Milt Neidenberg, Bryan G. Pfeifer, Round-Up Ready Soybeans–genetically modified pat- Betsey Piette, Minnie Bruce Pratt, Gloria Rubac ented seeds. Over the last 13 years its market control has Correction: In the July 9 WW article headlined, “Israeli gone from 2 percent to over 90 percent of all soybeans in Technical Staff: Sue Davis, Shelley Ettinger, navy seizes aid ship,” by John Parker, the international the U.S. Today 70 percent of processed foods have some Bob McCubbin, Maggie Vascassenno delegation of 21 passengers and crew members, who genetically modified ingredient. Mundo Obrero: Carl Glenn, Teresa Gutierrez, were forcibly taken to Israel, had departed from Lan- In a campaign reminiscent of McCarthy-era witch- Berta Joubert-Ceci, Donna Lazarus, Michael Martínez, arca, Cyprus, not Cyprus, Greece. Continued on page 7 Carlos Vargas Supporter Program: Sue Davis, coordinator JOIN US. National Office Buffalo, N.Y. Durham, N.C. Rochester, N.Y. Copyright © 2009 Workers World. Verbatim copying 55 W. 17 St., 367 Delaware Ave., [email protected] 585-436-6458 and distribution of articles is permitted in any medium Workers World Party Buffalo, NY 14202 [email protected] New York, NY 10011 Houston without royalty provided this notice is preserved. (WWP) fights on all 212-627-2994; 716-883-2534 P.O. Box 595 San Diego, Calif. Workers World (ISSN-1070-4205) is published weekly issues that face the Fax (212) 675-7869 [email protected] Houston, P.O. 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Box 57300, in these struggles, con- 617-983-3835 Detroit, MI 48202 PA 19143 Washington, POSTMASTER: Send address changes to tact the branch nearest Fax (617) 983-3836 313-831-0750 610-931-2615 DC 20037 Workers World, 55 W. 17 St., 5th Floor, you. [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] New York, N.Y. 10011. www.workers.org July 16, 2009 Page 3 Citing withheld evidence Mumia Abu-Jamal supporters call for civil rights investigation By Hans Bennett Church’s Prison Ministry [New York ported an investigation. In a 1995 let- Order ‘Jail- City], actress Ruby Dee, Professor Cornel ter written independently of the CBC, House Lawyer’ On April 6, the U.S. Supreme Court re- West and U.S. Congressman Charles Ran- Representatives Chaka Fattah, Ron Del- at Leftbooks.com fused to consider an appeal from death- gel, who is Chairman of the House Com- lums, Cynthia McKinney, Maxine Wa- row journalist and former Black Panther mittee on Ways and Means. ters and John Conyers (now Chairman of Specifically referring to the issue of Mumia Abu-Jamal, who was convicted of In 2004, the NAACP passed a resolution the House Judiciary Committee) stated, withheld evidence, which was central first-degree murder in the shooting death supporting a new trial for Abu-Jamal, and “There is ample evidence that Mr. Abu- to the case of former Senator Ted Ste- of white Philadelphia police officer Daniel campaign supporters will be gathering to Jamal’s constitutional rights were violat- vens, Ross identifies five key instances in Faulkner at a 1982 trial deemed unfair by publicize the civil rights campaign at the ed, that he did not receive a fair trial, and Abu-Jamal’s case where “evidence was Amnesty International (www.amnesty. upcoming NAACP National Convention in that he is, in fact, innocent.” withheld that could have led to Mumia’s org/en/library/info/AMR51/ 001/2000), New York City, July 11-16, and to pressure Assistant Attorney General Andrew Fois acquittal.” The DA’s office withheld two the EuropeanParliament, the Japanese the NAACP to honor their earlier resolu- rejected the CBC’s request, yet in a Sep­ items from Abu-Jamal’s defense: the ac- Diet, Nelson Mandela, and numerous tions by actively supporting the current tember 1995 letter written to Congress­ tual location of the driver’s license appli- others. campaign seeking an investigation. man Ron Dellums conceded that even cation found in Officer Faulkner’s pocket Abu-Jamal had petitioned the U.S. Supporters will then be in Washington, though there is a five-year statute of limi- and Pedro Polakoff’s crime scene photos. Supreme Court to review the U.S. Third D.C., on July 22 to lobby their elected tations for a civil rights investigation, the At the request of prosecutor McGill, Circuit Court ruling of March 27, 2008, officials, and in mid-September, they’ll statute does not apply if “there is signifi- Judge Sabo ruled to block three items which rejected his bid, based on three is- return to Washington, D.C., for a major cant evidence of an ongoing conspiracy.” from the jury: prosecution eyewitness sues, for a new guilt-phase trial. press conference. One of the 2009 campaign’s organiz- Robert Chobert’s probation status and One issue was that of racially discrimi- Thousands of signatures have been col- ers is Dr. Suzanne Ross, a spokesperson criminal history; testimony from de- natory jury selection, based on the 1986 lected for a public letter to U.S. Attorney for the Free Mumia Abu-Jamal Coali- fense eyewitness Veronica Jones about case Batson v. Kentucky, on which the General Eric Holder, which reads: “Inas- tion of New York City (www.freemumia. police attempts to solicit false testimony; three-judge panel split 2-1, with Judge much as there is no other court to which com). Citing Fois’ letter, Ross argues that and testimony from police officer Gary Thomas Ambro dissenting. Ambro argued Abu-Jamal can appeal for justice, we turn the “continued denial of justice to Mu- Waskshul that contradicted other pros- that prosecutor Joseph McGill’s use of 10 to you for remedy of a 27-year history of mia in the federal courts, as documented ecution witnesses. out of his 15 peremptory strikes to remove gross violations of U.S. constitutional law by dissenting Judge Thomas Ambro,” is “The urgent need for a civil rights in- otherwise acceptable African-American and international standards of justice.” evidence of an “ongoing conspiracy” and vestigation is heightened because the DA jurors was itself enough evidence of racial The letter cites Holder’s recent investi- thus merits an investigation. is still trying to execute Mumia,” empha- discrimination to grant Abu-Jamal a pre- gation into the case of former Senator Ted [Ross continued:] “Throughout the his- sized Ross, an organizer of the campaign liminary hearing that could have led to a Stevens, which led to all charges against tory of this case, we were always told, ‘Wait seeking an investigation. This past April, new trial. him being dropped: “You were specifically until we get to the federal courts. They will the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear In denying Abu-Jamal this preliminary outraged by the fact that the prosecution surely overturn the racism and gross mis- Abu-Jamal’s appeal for a new guilt-phase hearing, Ambro argued that the Court was withheld information critical to the de- conduct of Judge Sabo,’ but we never got trial, but the Court has yet to rule on creating new rules that were being exclu- fense’s argument for acquittal, a violation even a preliminary hearing on the issue whether to hear the appeal made simul- sively applied to Abu-Jamal’s case. The clearly committed by the prosecution in considered most winnable: racial bias in taneously by the Philadelphia District denial “goes against the grain of our prior Abu-Jamal’s case. Mumia Abu-Jamal, jury selection, the so-called Batson issue.” Attorney’s office, which seeks to execute actions. … I see no reason why we should though not a U.S. Senator of great wealth Ross also criticizes the Third Circuit’s Abu-Jamal without granting him a new not afford Abu-Jamal the courtesy of our and power, is a Black man revered around denial of Abu-Jamal’s claim that Judge penalty-phase trial. precedents,” wrote Ambro. the world for his courage, clarity, and Sabo was unfair at the 1995-97 PCRA For more information on how you can Supporters of Mumia Abu-Jamal are commitment, and deserves no less than [Pennsylvania’s Post-Conviction Relief support the campaign for a federal civil responding to the April 2009 U.S. Su- Senator Stevens.” Act] hearings and considers this denial rights investigation, and to sign the on- preme Court ruling by launching a cam- Several campaigns seeking a civil right to be further evidence of an “ongoing line letter and petition to Attorney Gen- paign (freemumia.com/civilrights.html) investigation into the Abu-Jamal case conspiracy.” Ross argues that the courts’ eral Holder, please visit freemumia.com/ calling for a federal civil rights investi- have been launched since 1995, at which continued affirmation of Sabo’s rulings civilrights.html or www.iacenter.org/mu- gation into Abu-Jamal’s case. The cam- time the Congressional Black Caucus was during the PCRA hearings, and Sabo’s miapetition/. paign’s supporters include the Riverside one of many groups that publicly sup- ultimate ruling that nothing presented Excerpted from an article that ap- at the PCRA hearings was significant peared in the SF Bay View Newspaper enough to merit a new trial, serves to le- on June 16 at www.sfbayview.com. gitimize numerous injustices throughout Bennett is a founder of Journalists Troy Davis decision Abu-Jamal’s case. for Mumia. postponed Cynthia McKinney demands By Dianne Mathiowetz Atlanta justice for Mumia Abu-Jamal The U.S. Supreme Court released a Free Troy Davis much-anticipated announcement on June The following June 19 letter was sent for, among other things, having said that 29 about the appeal of death-row prisoner by former Congressperson Cynthia injustice anywhere is a threat to justice Troy Anthony Davis. A short statement No physical evidence was ever present- McKinney to U.S. Attorney General Eric everywhere. Ignoring any instance of said the Court had not reached a deci- ed linking Davis to the crime, nor was the Holder to request that the Justice De- racism inside the courtroom leads to sion on whether to hear Davis’ appeal for murder weapon ever found. Sworn state- partment conduct a civil rights investi- injustice that threatens us all. a hearing on new evidence supporting his ments of nine people not heard at the gation of the case of death-row political There is no statute of limitations on the innocence. The Court will again take up the original trial implicate Sylvester “Red” prisoner Mumia Abu-Jamal. U.S. Constitution, and I therefore request issue when it reconvenes in September. that you do all within your power to Coles as being the actual shooter. Coles Attorney General Holder: To millions around the world, Davis’ initially went to the police and fingered review the totality of the circumstances as case highlights the lack of justice in the Davis. I am writing to ask for your personal they are now known in 2009 in the case U.S. Long-established racist practices by Three times Davis has come within and immediate intervention to put an end of Mumia Abu-Jamal and ensure that police, prosecutors and judges, coupled days and hours of being executed in Geor- to a grave injustice. Anyone who has read his Constitutional rights (in the form of with a lack of access to competent legal gia’s death chamber. Yet every judicial or the reports, as I have, including briefs and racially tinged prosecutorial and judicial assistance, dooms many poor workers state authority has ultimately ruled that opinions of the courts, knows that Mumia misconduct) were and are not abridged. and people of color to false convictions evidence of innocence is not sufficient Abu-Jamal was tried and convicted amid The imperative for a civil rights investiga- and unequal punishment. to override procedural and technical sensationalism and hysteria that, at its tion is clear, and I specifically request that Davis was found guilty in 1991 of the restrictions imposed by the 1996 Anti- core, constituted a racial frenzy. Indict- of your office. shooting two years earlier of Mark Al- Terrorism and Effective Use of the Death ing words from the Judge, himself, point I am prepared to meet with you or len MacPhail, an off-duty Savannah, Ga., Penalty Act. to racism and prejudice even inside the anyone you designate for the purpose of policeman. Of the state’s nine non-police Also on June 29, Davis’ supporters de- courtroom. The “Batson Issue” should be engaging in a dialogue on this matter. I witnesses at trial, seven have recanted or livered over 60,000 petition signatures of real concern to everyone interested in look forward to hearing from you soon. changed their testimony, many alleging urging the new Chatham County District justice. Sadly, Mumia was convicted amid Please accept this request within all police threats and intimidation prompt- Attorney, Larry Chisholm, to reopen the the very racial cowardice of which you, applicable rules and regulations. ing their false identification of Davis as investigation of MacPhail’s killing. Eleven yourself, have spoken. Sincerely, the shooter. Continued on page 4 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is known Cynthia McKinney Page 4 July 16, 2009 www.workers.org

New Haven decision Supreme Court sets back affirmative action By John Catalinotto ed—quite reasonably—that the problem be reversed as soon as possible—reversed defend affirmative action. Only that way was with the test. in the streets and in the next decision by can the working class, made up of all na- Consider this test question that mea- This meant that the written/oral test the court. tionalities, build the solidarity needed sures sports knowledge among a group excluded Black supervisors and would It is likely that the 20 firefighters who for a successful, united struggle that will of people 70 years of age and older who thereby reinforce the weight of 400 years took part in the suit, plus the Black fire- provide jobs for all at a decent wage and claim to be baseball fans: of slavery, 138 additional years of oppres- fighters, are all qualified for promotion. A respect for all working people in general. “Who was the best professional right- sion and discrimination, and the current multiple-choice test is a questionable mea- The best struggles will aim for advances handed pitcher between 1930 and 1955?” load of institutionalized racism. A test sure of the ability to make emergency split- for all workers while eliminating inequali- Those completely focused on major lea­ that excludes in this way is illegal. It cre- second decisions of how to deploy forces ties among them. gue baseball might answer, “Bob Feller.” ates additional problems for a city whose while a building is burning or how well the This court decision has an additional Those who know something about the population is 60 percent Black and/or “troops” will respond to a command. wrinkle because of Sotomayor’s role. The “Negro League”—racism kept African Latina/o. The city decided to postpone The 20 who sued celebrated the court racist right-wing gang who attack her Amer­­icans out of MLB until 1947—would the promotions until they found a more decision and their promotions. One can for everything progressive she has done probably answer, “Satchel Paige.”* nearly unbiased test. easily see that they wanted, and believed and for her Puerto Rican background What’s the right answer? The answer is Unfortunately for working-class soli- they were entitled to, an increase in pay, also calls her “biased” in this case. What that it’s hard to make a test that has no darity, the 19 white firefighters and one respect and whatever other benefits go nonsense! What Sotomayor did in this cultural bias, even when that is the goal. Latino sued for the promotions. A lower with a promotion. But it is a short-sighted case was make a defensible legal decision That’s what the city of New Haven, court—in which Barack Obama’s Su- celebration. By damaging affirmative ac- that left affirmative action standing. (See Conn., discovered in 2003 when it as- preme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor tion, the decision makes it harder to build editorial on Sotomayor’s nomination at signed a multiple-choice test as part of the took part—approved the city’s decision. the kind of solidarity with the African- workers.org, posted June 3.) criteria for promoting firefighters to offi- But in late June the U.S. Supreme Court American firefighters and with the com- *Feller was an outstanding MLB pit­cher cer positions. Though some of New Ha- by a 5-4 vote reversed the lower court munity in general that is needed to ad- who also led all-star teams in exhibi­tion ven’s African-American firefighters pas­ and decided the promotions should go vance the struggle of all firefighters and games against Paige’s African-American sed the test, none scored high enough to through. The usual arch-reactionary jus- the community they serve. all-stars. Paige was a living legend—who be promoted. Nineteen white firefighters tices made up the majority. If, faced with a tight budget, New Haven would have preferred an MLB salary. A and one Latino qualified for promotion. A complete overhaul of the educational, tries to cut Fire Department funding and very popular MLB star hitter of that ep- There were obviously African-Ameri- court, prison, economic and social struc- firefighters’ salaries and benefits, real soli- och, Joe Dimaggio, faced Paige once in a can firefighters in New Haven who would ture is needed to eradicate all forms of darity among Black, white and Latina/os 1936 exhibition game and was overjoyed be capable supervisors. Following the racist inequality. Affirmative action, while will be needed to defend workers’ interests. to get one single in four at-bats against guidelines for affirmative action indicated only a small remedy to confront the vast Beyond New Haven, it is right and just him. “After I got that hit off Satchel,” said by the 1964 Civil Rights Act and later de- weight of institutional racism that still ex- for every worker to defend affirmative ac- Dimaggio, “I knew I was ready for the big cisions on achieving increased equality, ists throughout U.S. society, is still better tion, whatever its limitations. That means leagues.” (Baseball Almanac) the city of New Haven’s authorities decid- than nothing. The court’s decision should it is also in white workers’ interests to E-mail: [email protected] Wasteful, stupid and cruel State gov’ts attack poison control centers life threatening. Parents may also be re- By G. Dunkel avoid unnecessary medical care. Hun- above and many others—all under tre- luctant to go back to the ER for follow-up, dreds of thousands of people use them mendous budget pressure—will probably while PCCs make follow-up phone calls Poison control centers are now an is- every year in California. move to cut their PCCs. the same day and a day later. sue. The state of California intends to About half of the nation’s yearly 2.5 According to a June 24 National Public What California wants to do is take abolish its PCCs. Washington State has million calls to such centers involve chil- Radio report, replacing PCCs with emer- a small, socialized cost—amounting to cut PCC funding by 35 percent. Michi- dren under 5 years old, who often experi- gency room visits would cost $70 or $80 about 23 cents per year for each adult in gan has closed two regional centers in ence the material world by putting things million a year. As one PCC worker put it, California—and push it onto individuals, the western part of the state. Tennessee, in their mouths. Twenty percent of the the kids would be getting “a $2,000 ER who will end up paying a much higher Oregon, Texas and Utah are considering calls to the centers come from medical glass of milk” rather than a much cheap- price. significant budget cuts for PCCs. (AP, personnel asking what to do for patients. er one from their home refrigerator. The It’s not just outrageous stupidity that June 25) California’s PCCs cost $5.9 million a PCCs in California recommend a trip to has led the budget authorities to move to PCCs are an inexpensive, effective and year, and the state has to fill a $23 billion the ER in only about 20 percent of cases. abolish PCCs. It’s not just a ruling-class publicly funded feature of the U.S. health budget gap. Not that $5.9 million would But it’s not just the extra cost that desire to use the financial crisis to re- care system. The centers’ main function do much to fill the gap, but the state au- makes the cuts stupid and cruel. When move every social gain that the working is to supply emergency advice about what thorities take the position that every little poor parents or parents without health class has won—from poison control to to do for someone who has taken poison. bit helps. insurance consider the cost of an ambu- public housing, social security and pub- Poison control centers were developed If California’s cuts go through without lance and/or an ER visit, they may wait lic education. It’s all of that, plus a cold as an effective way to help save lives and much resistance, the states mentioned in many cases. Some waits could well be and cruel calculation that forcing a priva- tized response to poisoning will take place Charges dropped against SF8 without major public outcry. n

Following is a July 6 statement from freethesf8.blogspot.com, along with more background information Troy Davis on the campaign to win justice for Continued from page 3 these former Panthers. thousand of the signatures come from Finally, after years of unified resistance Chatham County residents. by the brothers and the building of mas- Chisholm, the first African-American sive support, California State prosecutors DA, won election in 2008 on a platform were forced to admit that they have insuffi- that pledged to “increase a sense of fair- cient evidence against the San Francisco 8. ness” in the office held for some 28 years Charges against four of the defendants by Spencer Lawton Jr. At least three other were dropped, and Jalil Muntaqim pled death penalty convictions pursued by no contest to conspiracy to commit vol- Lawton have been overturned by higher SF8 members and supporters. http://freethesf8.blogspot.com untary manslaughter. The State prosecu- courts because of prosecutorial miscon- tor asked the court to sentence him to 12 Hank Jones and Harold Taylor. the first place,” announced attorney Sof- duct and error. months, calling it “a drop in the bucket.” The courtroom at 850 Bryant Street fiyah Elijah. Amnesty International, the NAACP, Judge Moscone replied, “Unless you’re was packed with SF 8 supporters after a Francisco Torres still faces a court Georgians for an Alternative to the Death the one doing the time.” Jalil received rally of hundreds, and a huge Free SF 8 hearing on Aug. 10. Francisco steadfastly Penalty, and Davis’ family members en- credit for time served (close to 2 1/2 years banner was displayed on the hillside of maintains his innocence, according to his courage the public to call DA Chisholm’s in County Jail) and 3 years’ probation. He Bernal Heights to be seen from all over attorney Charles Bourdon, who intends office at 912-652-7308 and urge a new will return to New York to fight for parole. the city. to file a motion to dismiss the charges examination of Davis’ case. Go to www. The charges were dismissed today “This is finally the disposition of a case against his client. Herman Bell entered a gfadp.org for updates and to sign the on- against Ray Boudreaux, Richard Brown, that should never have been brought in plea a week ago. n line petition. n www.workers.org July 16, 2009 Page 5 Stella D’oro workers win NLRB victory Company ordered to reinstate them, rescind cuts

Editor’s note: As we go to press, Brynwood port and for failing to bargain in good faith. terms after “permanently replacing” the

Partners, private owners of Stella D'oro cookies, The 136 bakery workers belong to Local strikers. l e k

reported plans to shut down the company 50 of the Bakery, Confectionary, Tobacco “The choice laid out was whether the n Du . .

within 90 days. The Stella D'oro Support Com- Workers and Grain Millers union. employees wanted ‘jobs at lower pay or G mitte responded: "Unite to stop this predatory Brynwood Partners, a private equity no jobs at all,’” stated Judge Davis. (www. attempt to destroy our communities. The firm, acquired Stella D’oro from Kraft nlrb.gov) He said that when the company

‘Battle of the Bronx’ continues. Keep Stella D'oro Foods in 2006. Brynwood had demanded claimed that it was unable to pay to con- ww Photo: in the Bronx!" WW will be covering more on this draconian cuts in wages and benefits dur- tinue operations without concessions predators at Brynwood Partners thought development in future issues. ing contract negotiations with the union from the workers, it was obligated to pro- they could refuse to bargain with us, deny last year, including imposition of a three- vide the union with the financial informa- us information, break the law, tear up By Brenda Ryan tier wage and benefit structure under tion it requested. our contract, force a strike and break the After an 11-month strike, the workers which tier-3 employees would not receive On May 1, the workers offered to return union. But our members’ solidarity has of Stella D’oro Biscuit Company won a any benefits. to work under the terms of the collective held with the help of the community and major victory on June 30 when a federal Stella D’oro workers went on strike on bargaining agreement that had expired our many supporters around the country judge ordered the company to reinstate Aug. 13, when Brynwood walked out of on June 29, 2008. In his decision, Judge and world.” (www.bctgm.org) them with the same pay and benefits they contract negotiations. The company’s ne- Davis ordered Stella D’oro to pay work- The struggle is not over yet, however. had before the strike. gotiators were also demanding that long- ers back pay with interest since May 6, The company may appeal the decision to Judge Steven Davis, an administrative time employees accept reduced vacations the date of receipt of the union’s uncon- the full NLRB and to the federal courts. law judge with the National Labor Rela- and the elimination of sick days, holidays ditional offer to return to work, which the Stella D’oro workers are holding a rally at tions Board, ruled that the company’s own- and severance pay in addition to cuts in company then refused to accept. the plant gates at 237th Street and Broad- ers were guilty of engaging in unfair labor health benefits. The drastic wage cuts “This decision vindicates the struggles way in the Bronx on July 10 from 3 p.m. practices for refusing to provide the union would have affected mostly women work- and sacrifices of our members at Stella until 6 p.m. They will demand that the representing the Stella D’oro workers with ers, especially Latinas. The company went D’oro,” said Joyce Alston, president of company immediately comply with this a copy of their 2007 audited financial re- ahead and illegally implemented those BCTGM Local 50. “The private equity order and restore their jobs. n Native woman fined $2 million Recording industry’s piracy and profits By Caleb T. Maupin tive nation in the United States, after the versal Records, makes its When will General Electric Cherokee and the Navajo. Their members profits from stealing much pay for the millions across the Jammie Thomas, a single mother of include militant activist Winona LaDuke more than songs. General globe killed by the weapons it Native Anishinabe descent, has been and political prisoner Leonard Peltier. Electric is contracted by the produces for the Pentagon? found guilty of copyright infringement The corporate interest group that pres­ Pentagon to produce the When will mortgage lenders and sentenced to pay a $2 million fine. sed for Thomas’ prosecution is known as bombs and weapons used linked to the recording indus- Her crime was downloading 24 songs the Recording Industry Association of against oppres­sed people in try pay for throwing working that can be legally purchased on iTunes Amer­ica. RIAA is made up of large music Palestine, Afghanistan, Iraq people out of their homes for 99 cents each. (Wired.com, June 18) producing and distributing corporations and Colombia, among other and destroying the so-called Thomas was convicted by an all-white in the U.S. places. GE also made $26.3 “American Dream” of home jury near Duluth, Minn., after the pros- RIAA, along with its allies in the film billion in the subprime mort- ownership for so many in the ecution played on racist stereotypes in its industry, have launched a well-publicized gage business with its WMC U.S.? When will Sony pay for charges against Thomas. The prosecu- campaign against the “piracy” of down- Mortgage company. (Re- Jammie Thomas spying on the environmental tion also purged the jury of anyone who loading music and videos without paying uters, March 9, 2007) movement in hopes of suppressing it and admitted they had downloaded a song or a fee. One part of this campaign has been Environmental organizations have continuing mass pollution and ecological had friends who had done so. ads in which recording artists, light tech- documented that Sony, a corporation as- destruction? Of the more than 30,000 people sued nicians and other low-paid entertain- sociated with RIAA, has an open policy Only when the workers and oppressed or threatened with a suit for alleged ille- ment employees are featured, claiming of practicing extra-legal surveillance of people rise up by the millions and de- gal downloading of music, only Jammie that “piracy hurts the little guy.” those who organize against global warm- mand it will justice come to those openly Thomas’ case has gone to trial. Thomas Yet when it comes to “hurting the little ing and ecological degradation. (Inter guilty of the true “piracy” called capitalist works for the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe guy,” the corporations making up RIAA Press Service, Sept. 22, 2000) exploitation. n Indians in their Department of Natural cannot be compared with those who Resources and Environment. The Anishi- download an MP3 or torrent a video file. nabe peoples are the third-largest Na- General Electric, which owns Uni- A demand for jobs, justice March demands transgender rights Providence. Atlanta

Continued from page 3

p hoto: Dr. Maxwell Anderson In Atlanta on June 27, some 175 members of the transgender community and their sup- porters marched on the 40th anniversary of the historic Stonewall Rebellion, the militant birth of the modern trans, lesbian, gay, bi and queer movement in the U.S. The demonstra- tion highlighted demands for access to employment, services and safety for transgender Hundreds of African Americans and their allies marched through the streets of Provi- people. Deeply moving testimonies at pre- and post-march rallies by transmen and dence, R.I., on June 28 to demand “Life, Unity, Freedom, Equality, Peace, Jobs & Human transwomen exposed the discrimination, bigotry and violence committed against them. Needs.” The march was organized by Urban Men Against Murder to demand jobs, educa- The upbeat atmosphere of the marchers was enhanced by the music of the Atlanta tion, recreation and other basic human needs as a response to the violence impacting Sedition Orchestra, which led the way, and the banner-laden Georgia Peace and Justice the oppressed communities, especially among working-class youth across the U.S. Other Coalition bio-fuel bus, “Rosa,” that held the rear. Initiated by Human Rights Atlanta, the participating organizations included Nation of Islam, RI Peoples Assembly, RI Unemployed three-day commemoration included a panel discussion by transgender activists and Council, religious groups and the local chapter of the Bail Out The People Movement. a film screening on June 25 and 26. —Dianne Mathiowetz —Report and photo by Bill Bateman Page 6 July 16, 2009 www.workers.org We’re asking you, our readers, to chip in and make a contribution to Workers World’s National Fund Drive. Here’s why:

This newspaper has become indispensable to many workers and progressive activists in the U.S. and around the world. They rely on it to counter the lies and distortions of big business, which saturate the print and electronic media. Every day people turn to Workers World to get a unique analysis of events—from the deepening econom- ic crisis, the struggles against racism and scapegoating of immigrants, and the fight for women’s and LGBT rights here at home, to the wars against Iraq and Af- ghanistan and the struggles against imperialism in Latin America, Palestine, Asia, the Caribbean and Africa. Our successful website, workers.org, gets close to and Saladin Muhammad of the Black a quarter million readers each month. But the newer Workers League on the Gulf Coast forms of media, while relatively inexpensive, don’t Reconstruction Program. reach everyone. Workers World needs to get into the hands of workers newly laid off, homeless people who From articles to books have been evicted or foreclosed, those on the picket Many Workers World articles have lines fighting for jobs and justice. That takes money served as the basis for books. because they don’t have any. We need to subsidize the Fred Goldstein’s many articles on the econ- print edition so it can be there for them. omy are expanded upon in his book “Low- Articles on the capitalist Wage Capitalism,” a Marxist analysis of glo- meltdown and Israel’s war A factor in workers’ struggles balized, high-tech imperialism and its effect threats on Iran have been Here are a few recent examples of how WW’s analy- on the class struggle. translated into French and sis and ideas on how to fight back against the corporate The “Marxism, Reparations and the Black published on the website of billionaires have struck a chord among workers: Freedom Struggle” book, edited by Monica Belgian author Michel Collon. Articles by longtime Chrysler worker Martha Grevatt Moorehead, includes articles that appeared in A link to WW’s analysis of on the struggle of autoworkers have been picked Workers World. the Iranian election appeared up around the country, from the Action Center for Part of the WW series “Lavender and Red” on newsnow.co.uk, a news Justice’s blog to a forum for car dealers, which linked by prominent LGBT author and activist Les- portal in Britain, and was one to “Can Workers Stop the Illegal Sale of Chrysler?” lie Feinberg has just been released as a book: of the most e-mailed articles USA Today also linked to Grevatt’s interview of UE “Rainbow Solidarity in Defense of Cuba.” in the newspaper. Local 1110 President Armando Robles, a leader of A new edition of “High Tech, Low Pay,” the the successful worker occupation of the Republic seminal work of Workers World Party found- International Windows & Doors factory in Chicago. er Sam Marcy, which evolved from pieces he WW’s articles on the struggle against foreclosures wrote for the paper, will be released soon with coverage and evictions were especially welcome at the recent a new introduction by Goldstein. Writers for the paper are involved in many differ- People’s Summit and Tent City in Detroit. All of these publications are available at Leftbooks. ent struggles and share their extraordinary expertise. Our support brought warmth to the picket lines com, a progressive online bookstore. Abayomi Azikiwe, the editor of Pan-African News Wire, during the long strike of Stella D’oro workers in writes regularly on Africa for WW. His articles analyzing New York. Reaching the world the U.S. and British attacks against Zimbabwe’s govern- Several unions get bundles of Workers World every in many languages ment have been widely reproduced. week to distribute to their members, including locals John Catalinotto’s interview with an Indigenous lead- WW contains at least one page of articles translated of the Longshore, Teamsters and Electrical workers. er of Papua New Guinea on a battle there against a gold into Spanish, which appears every week as Mundo mining company was reprinted in newspapers in Papua Obrero. New Guinea and in Australia. What about Obama? Our articles are regularly translated into Arabic, Our reporters have been to north and south Korea, Larry Holmes’ articles analyzing the Obama candida- French, Portuguese, Spanish and Russian and read by Cuba, Venezuela, El Salvador, Palestine, Lebanon and cy were disseminated throughout the U.S. Readership communists and class-conscious workers everywhere. many other countries to report on the struggles against spiked during the election as people sought out WW’s Dozens of publications, websites and blogs reproduce U.S. imperialism and for national self-determination. perspective. His analysis also helped progressives in or link to Workers World stories. other countries understand how to react to this new Avante, the publication of the Portuguese Commu- phenomenon. For example, the prestigious Portuguese nist Party, and the New Worker in Britain regularly ‘A fantastic paper’ magazine Seara Nova translated and published Holmes’ reprint articles. The Communist Party of India (Marx- People who regularly distribute WW have seen an analysis. ist-Leninist) Liberation has posted pieces in its monthly upsurge of interest among workers. Art Rosen passes it publication. The Ukrainian newspaper Workers Action out to subway conductors in New York City every day. Reaching the youth translates articles into Russian. “When I ask what they think of the paper, they say, ‘It’s WW reports regularly on the work of Fight Imperial- WW articles on the Middle East are frequently fantastic.’ When they see me walking down the platform, ism, Stand Together (FIST), a growing anti-capitalist translated into Arabic for publication in the Syrian they reach out for the paper. Maybe 90 percent plus take youth group. Our articles have also been used as newspapers al-Ba’ath and Tishreen. the paper with a smile on their face.” educational tools in classrooms. Monica Moorehead’s The millions now facing the so- “Racism, Class and the NBA” is included in the student Donate To The Workers World National Fund Drive! cial breakdown of a capitalist eco- textbook “Pop Perspectives.” The Safe Schools Coali- nomic crisis need a Marxist analy- I want to support the weekly publication of this workers’ newspaper. tion, a group that supports LGBT youth, recommends Yes! sis and a fightback program. And that teachers include in their lesson plans an article Enclosed is my donation of: Workers World needs your help, Moorehead and Leslie Feinberg wrote on NBA star n $500 n $250 n $100 n $50 n $35 $_____Other now more than ever, to keep the Dennis Rodman. Write checks to: Workers World (Earmark “Fund Drive” in memo line.) paper growing and reaching more Or deduct $ ______from my Visa or MCd workers. Prominent voices Card No. ______Exp. Date ______Please give generously! 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The life and death of Michael JacksonBy Larry Hales It happened you would even play, be merry degraded in the mainstream media for it. It is no wonder that he became more withdrawn and And dance, in sheer exuberance of spirit: untrusting. Michael’s whole life was one of suffering And then would all the splendour of your manhood, child abuse, abuse by record labels and managers, and the general abuse of the music industry—which, like The sweet desires of youth sound, wild with power, any industry under capitalism, views the end product, On strings of brass, in burning tambourines. music, as a commodity for which to gain profit. Though many are extremely well-paid and adored by millions, And from that mighty music the beginning musicians and entertainers are workers and ultimately Of jazz arose, tempestuous, capricious, work to make a profit for someone else, who most times owns the rights to the finished product. Declaring to the whites in accents loud Different than most people, though, Michael was very That not entirely was the planet theirs. popular and made hundreds of millions for the labels he (Excerpt from “May Our People Triumph,” Patrice Lumumba) was signed to. MTV, which initially refused to showcase Black artists, owes its survival to Michael, who trans- The excerpt above, taken from a poem by Patrice to attend a July 7 public memorial for Michael at the formed music videos and stage performances. Lumumba, depicts specifically the spirit of African Staples Center in Los Angeles—a venue that holds a His presence shone through and through; his sing- people chained and enslaved. From the conditions little more than 20,000. ing could evoke many different emotions. His vocals imposed upon them came a rich musical culture. Thousands lined the streets of Harlem for a memorial could go from being light and delicate as an orchid to The conditions were not of a natural kind, but came at the Apollo Theater June 26, where Michael and his pithy and harsh, as evidenced on the song “Will You Be from the degenerate racist ideology that justified the four brothers won amateur night on Aug. 13, 1967. They There,” where Michael sings: “Everyone’s taking control primitive accumulation of capital by European na- caught the eye of artists like Diana Ross and were even- of me/seems that the world’s got a role for me/I’m so tions and the U.S., which included genocide, rape, land tually signed to Motown Records as the Jackson Five. confused, will you show to me/you’ll be there for me theft and enslavement of the original inhabitants of the At that time, Michael was 9 years old and the second and care enough to bear me?” Americas, Africa and Asia. youngest son of Joseph Jackson, a steel mill crane It is the system and his drive to overcome bank- Black culture was and is defined by the conditions im- operator, and Katherine Jackson. He was raised along ruptcy and be able to do what he loved to do, perform, posed upon Black people in context of a larger culture with his eight siblings in Gary, Ind. He was then the which led to his death. After years of performing and that springs from the productive mode of the larger so- little kid with the big voice, dance moves and incredible learning to cope with the pressure placed upon him, he ciety; that is to say, Black culture is not only contrasted charisma. developed insomnia and turned to a powerful sedative, with nature, but with unnatural conditions in line with Diprivan—delivered through an IV and extremely dan- the specific history of the United States. Role of bigotry, exploitation gerous—to be able to sleep. Jackson reportedly contin- When looking at Black culture years from now, The Jackson Five came into being at the height of ued to take painkillers following an accidental fire that though there may be many artists who were political the Civil Rights struggle, as Black musical culture was burned his scalp during a Pepsi-Cola commercial in the and whose music spoke to and of the actual struggle for becoming increasingly popular in the mainstream. early 1980s. There is much speculation that the combi- Black liberation, Michael Jackson—who passed on June The realities of racism would play a major part in the nation of powerful sedatives and painkillers eventually 25 at the age of 50 from alleged cardiac arrest—will development of Michael once he left the Jackson Five. stopped Jackson’s heart and breathing. shine forever brightly. What are seldom discussed are the effects of misogyny, His talent was immense. He will be remembered as a Before his death, Michael was in the midst of rehears- homophobia and the patriarchal system on his develop- giant and despite the years of ridicule, the allegations of ing for a scheduled 50-concert tour that was to begin on ment as an adult in the public eye. child abuse and molestation—something no one should July 13. All the concerts were to take place in London. Michael was a worldwide icon of popular music, and make light of and for which a jury of mostly white He was not only a brilliant musician and performer, though for the most part he was not political, his life non-peers acquitted him of—the legions of fans across but was a perfect example of how the human spirit can cannot be taken out of political context. borders and cultural lines never wavered in adoration both thrive and suffer under the death-grip of capital- Michael has been ridiculed for being androgynous, for him. ist society, no matter how wealthy cultural icons may for his effeminate speaking voice, his soft features and There may have existed within him many contradic- become. his alteration of them through cosmetic surgery, and tions, as exist in all under this brutal system. The years Upon hearing about his death, millions of his fans even for his changed complexion over the years, which of suffering from racism may have taken its toll on him; around the world held impromptu vigils, built shrines is attributed to his desire to even out his complexion he may have fallen victim to the dominant society’s and gathered in public places to sing his songs and after the encroaching effects of vitiligo, a skin disorder. definition of beauty and wanted to exist in between perform his dance moves for hours. More than a thou- A person should be free to express who they are, no being Black and white. Frantz Fanon’s writings on the sand prisoners in the Philippines re-enacted Jackson’s matter whether they exist in the public eye or outside of Black psyche seem to illustrate perfectly the paradox of groundbreaking video, “Thriller,” as homage to him. As it. Michael, like so many, was denied that and the more Michael. of July 5, over one million people have registered online his appearance changed, the more he was ridiculed and Louis Armstrong famously lamented suffering racism with the lyrics, “I’m white inside, but that don’t help my case/That’s life; can’t hide what is in my face,” in the song “Black and Blue.” ‘Food, Inc.’: Another capitalist crisis But, despite the detractors, Michael Jackson cannot be separated from the Black experience. His music and Continued from page 2 food companies it condemns, “Food, Inc.” sugarcoats dancing, which incorporated many Black musical and hunts against communists, Monsanto has carried out a the problem by suggesting these corporations will self- dance styles, was uniquely Black. systematic campaign against farmers who continue to reform under consumer pressure. Kenner leaves his au- He never lost his Black fans in the U.S. and millions use their own unmodified seeds, sending a team of pri- dience hungry for more by failing to conclude that the of his fans around the world. From Africa, the Middle vate investigators into fields looking for evidence that system “Food, Inc.” exposes needs to end. In fact, he East, Asia, Europe, Caribbean and the Americas he was Monsanto’s seeds ended up on these farmers’ land. does the opposite. beloved and the world will mourn him. His music will Monsanto compiled a list with hundreds of names After presenting damning evidence that capitalism’s live on and he will forever be remembered as the King of farm­ers who refused to buy their modified seeds and drive for super profits has led to a crisis in food produc- of Popular music. n names of “seed cleaners”–agricultural workers with mobile tion, all but obliterating the “family farm” while threat- equipment who assist farmers in cleaning seeds for recy- ening the health of consumers and the safety of workers, cling–for prosecution. Those who tried to stand up to Mon­- Kenner lets Gary Hirshberg, former owner of Stonyfield Marxism, Reparations ­santo’s legal challenges faced enormous legal bills that Farms who sold his company’s organic brand name to eventually forced them to go along or go out of business. Colgate, suggest that a kinder, gentler capitalism is pos- and the Black Today, 30 percent of the land in the U.S. is used to sible, even though all the antecdotal evidence speaks to produce corn, the crop most heavily subsidized by the the contrary. Freedom Struggle U.S. government. Corn products can be found in ketch- Hirshberg concludes, “We can’t get rid of capitalism.” An anthology of writings from up, batteries, peanut butter, Coke, jelly, Sweet & Low, Rather, he states, consumer demands for healthier food Workers World newspaper. Edited by Monica Moorehead. Includes: Motrin, charcoal and diapers, to name just a few items. will move the mega-giants like Wal-mart to carry more • Racism, national oppression and The broad use of corn products, particularly high- organic produce. However, “Food, Inc.” shows Wal-Mart self-determination fructose corn syrup, has also been credited with spear- representatives going to a small organic dairy farm that • Black labor from chattel slavery heading the growing problems of obesity and related sells milk to Stonyfield Farms, raising the reality that to wage slavery diseases. “Food, Inc.” sounds the alarm over the nearly even these independent farmers will eventually be de- • Black youth: repression & resistance epidemic spread of early-onset (type 2) diabetes in the pendent on the giant food corporations for distribution. • Black & Brown unity: A pillar of Cover illustration U.S., which disproportionately affects people who have Kenner suggests alternative farms, farmers’ markets struggle for human rights & global justice! by Sahu Barron a hard time paying for healthier, less-processed food. and buying local, organic products—all appealing and • Are conditions ripe again today? 40th anniversary The statistics are shocking: Type-2 diabetes is expected available for those with means. But they will not reverse of the 1965 Watts Rebellion to affect one out of three people born after 2000 and one the trend toward monopolization. Nor can they address • Racism and poverty in the Delta in two who are people of color. the global problem where an estimated 913 million peo- • The struggle for Socialism is key “Food, Inc.” serves up ample evidence that the fault ple in 2008 suffered from chronic hunger. It will take a • Domestic Workers United demand passage of a bill of rights lies with the greed of the capitalist corporations, but socialist economy, based on production for human need • Black Reconstruction: The unfinished revolution falls short of offering any real alternative. Like the fast not profit, to do that.n Order online from Leftbooks.com Page 8 July 16, 2009 www.workers.org Palestine solidarity grows as Cynthia McKinney, other activists released from Israeli jails By LeiLani Dowell has been criminalized. What we are doing New York is we’re normalizing support to Palestine. July 6—Former U.S. Congressperson ... Equally important, we’re normalizing Cynthia McKinney has been released and our right to speak, to change the policies deported from Israel, after being impris- of this government.” oned there since June 30 along with other Noting the thousands of Palestinian members of the Free Gaza Movement. men, women and children who are daily McKinney and 20 others were travel- abused in Israeli prisons, Deek stated, ing aboard the boat Spirit of Humanity to “This is humanitarian, but this is not bring desperately needed humanitarian about charity; this is about self-determi- aid to the people of Gaza when the Israeli nation and about people’s right to deter- navy took the ship into custody and ar- mine their own lives, their own future.” rested all aboard. The international del- Several speakers tied the struggles of egation included participants from Brit- people of color in the U.S. to the struggle ain, Denmark, Ireland, Jordan, Palestine, for self-determination in Palestine. Kevin Scotland, the U.S. and Yemen. Materials Ovendon, a coordinator of Viva Palestina aboard the ship, which had passed a secu- from Britain, told the audience, “If you rity clearance when it left port in Cyprus, look at the spillover from what’s hap- included concrete to rebuild homes, med- pening in Palestine and the wider Middle icines, children’s toys and olive trees. East and what’s been done to Blacks and Cynthia McKinney’s mother, Leola Muslim people in particular inside the McKinney, told the July 5 Atlanta Jour- United States, we are still living to some nal-Constitution that she had received ww photo: Monica Moorehead extent within the context of Selma, Bir- word that McKinney had been released Palestinian women rally in front of Israeli Mission at the U.N., July 1. mingham, Montgomery ... and of Martin from Israeli custody and taken to Ben Gu- and of Malcolm.” rion International Airport. In addition, Demonstrations throughout the U.S. Angeles, Philadelphia and Buffalo, N.Y. City Councilperson Barron, who is the Free Gaza Movement reports that the condemned the hijacking of the Spirit of Activists converged July 3 on the House parti­cipating in the caravan with sev- six British participants were expected to Humanity and the detention of its passen- of the Lord Church in Brooklyn, N.Y., for eral members of his staff, said: “As Black be deported home July 6. Two members gers. In Detroit a July 1 protest, organized a send-off of another mission to deliver people, we have to fight against suffering of the delegation, who hold Israeli pass- by the Michigan Emergency Committee aid to the people of Palestine. Hundreds anywhere. One baby suffering in Palestine ports, were previously released; it is un- Against War and Injustice and Latinos of people arrived in New York to partici- or anywhere else is one of our babies, and clear what is happening with the remain- Unidos, condemned both the Israeli gov- pate in the Viva Palestina U.S. caravan, we have to end that suffering.” Barron ing prisoners. ernment actions as well as the recent mili- which left July 4 for Cairo to bring sup- discussed the hypocritical policies of the Israeli officials claim that delegation tary coup in Honduras. Signs carried by plies across the border into Palestine (see Obama administration, which killed three members could have been released soon- activists called for the end of the blockade accompanying article). Somalis who were defending Somali wa- er, but they refused to sign a document, of Gaza, the release of McKinney, the res- Lamis Deek of Al-Awda put the caravan ters against the dumping of toxic materi- written in Hebrew, admitting that they vi- toration of civilian rule in Honduras and into the context of the Palestinian strug- als and the trawling of their waters, and olated Israel’s inhumane blockade against the suspension of U.S. aid to the military gle for the past 50 years: “I recall growing yet remains silent about the Israeli cap- the people of Gaza. regime in Honduras and the Israeli gov- up where Palestine was a shameful word ture of the Spirit of Humanity. McKinney noted in a statement: “This ernment in Palestine. and, especially for the past nine years, For updates on the Spirit of Humanity is an outrageous violation of international In New York, more than 100 people ral- activity around Palestine, funding to Pal- and Viva Palestina caravans, visit http:// law. Our boat was not in Israeli waters, lied on July 1 across the street from the estine, humanitarian support to Palestine freegaza.org and www.vivapalestina-us.org. and we were on a human rights mission Israeli Mission to the United Nations until to the Gaza Strip. President Obama just City Councilperson Charles Barron, defy- told Israel to let in humanitarian and re- ing police barricades, led the crowd across construction supplies, and that’s exactly the street to protest right in front of the what we tried to do.” mission. Other protests were held in Los

WW photos: Berta Joubert-Ceci and Ellie Dorritie Above, Mumia supporter Pam Africa, speaks at July 1 Philadelphia protest. Above up- per right, Buffalo protest, July 1.

To raise awareness Rally defends Muslims under attack

A July 3 rally in Washington, D.C., against FBI Dix Five. An evening forum following the entrapment of Muslims and Arabs brought rally provided an opportunity for the victims together family members and support- of these and other cases from around the ers of victims of so-called terrorism cases, country to exchange information and come including Ahmed Omar Abu of Muslims-Ali, up with ideas on how to better work togeth- Ehsanul Sadaquee (Shifa), Saifullah Paracha er for their freedom. For more information, and his son Uzair, Syed Hashmi (Fahad), Sami email [email protected]. Al-Arian, the Newburgh Four and the Fort —Report and photo by Joe Piette www.workers.org July 16, 2009 Page 9 Hondurans vow to fight on against coup regime By Berta Joubert-Ceci

July 7—Honduran popular leader Juan Barahona told Workers World today that the resistance to the illegal June 28 coup that deposed President Manual Zelaya grows daily despite the fierce repression and constant attacks by the coup regime and the corporate media. The coup re- gime is increasingly isolated. A leader of the Popular National Front of Resistance to the Coup D’État (FNPRG), Barahona said, “They can only stay alive with the oxygen from the U.S.” The FNPRG is the leading coalition of three workers’ federations, the six teach- ers’ federations, youth and students, In- WW photo: Abayomi Azikiwe Opponents of the military coup march to airport in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, digenous, political parties and other sec- Rosendo Delgado of Latinos Uni- where President Zelaya’s plane tried to land on July 6. tors of society organizing the resistance. dos at July 1 Detroit protest. Barahona said they continue strong and Nicaragua where he met the presidents of tion through diplomacy. However, after Americans pressured Obama to condemn with high spirits. Nicaragua, Argentina, Ecuador and Para- 15 representatives of the Supreme Court the coup—mildly—and then Obama His voice was full of excitement after guay and held a press conference. By July told him Zelaya’s ousting is “irreversible,” “turns aside, knowing that the Penta- nine days of constant demonstrations. 7 he flew to Washington for talks with Sec- Insulza concluded that the OAS should gon and the CIA are promoters and sup- One gathering of hundreds of thousands retary of State Hillary Clinton. eliminate Honduras as a member and porters of the Honduran military coup.” of people at Toncontín Airport in Tegu- that there were no conditions for a peace- (Granma, July 6) cigalpa attempted to welcome their con- Lies and arrogance ful return of Zelaya. He also met with the stitutionally elected president as he flew of the coup regime popular movement opposing the coup. Pentagon and Honduras back from Washington but was unable to Nearly all governments and interna- That same day, 1992 Guatemalan No- For decades Honduras has been a U.S. land. Barahona said the people are deter- tional bodies have repudiated the coup bel Peace Prize winner Rigoberta Menchú military outpost in the region, whose rul- mined to struggle and thanked the inter- regime. The Latin American governments arrived in Honduras with a delegation of ing oligarchy is tightly linked with the national community for its support. and organizations like the Bolivarian Al- human rights advocates to monitor the imperialist North. From Honduras the The general strike continues, and all ternative for the Americas, the Central conditions. The coup regime had declared U.S.-backed Contras attacked the Sand- public schools are closed. Only the private American Integration System and the Rio a curfew and state of siege forbidding in- inista Revolution in neighboring Nicara- sector is operating “normally.” Group have recalled their ambassadors dividual rights and the right of associa- gua during the 1980s. Joint training and The movement in Honduras asks for and have cut trade and cooperation with tion, resulting in an explosion of human exercises demonstrate the Pentagon’s more pressure on the U.S. government Honduras. rights abuses. To date, 800 people are still close association with the Honduran and requests that condemnations also be Despite its isolation, the illegal govern- detained. army. sent to the illegitimate coup government ment of Roberto Micheletti, with the com- The Pentagon’s Soto Cano Military Base in Honduras. plicity of the oligarchy-owned media, con- Demands on Obama and the USA in Honduras is now under the command tinues to lash out against Zelaya, cynically of Col. Richard A. Juergens, who was the At the airport The Latin American community is now defending the coup as a necessary action focusing on the U.S., which has neither Director of the Special Operations Com- Though this Central American country to bring “peace and constitutionality” to removed its ambassador nor suspended mand during the February 2004 kidnap- is about the same size and population—8 the country. aid and trade, vital to Honduras. U.S. ping of Haitian President Jean-Bertrand million—as Virginia, hundreds of thou- Honduras’ general prosecutor issued policy is seen as favoring the coup despite Aristide. The leadership of Honduras’ sands of Hondurans from all over the an arrest warrant for Zelaya. Rodolfo President Barack Obama and Secretary military were all trained at the infamous country converged on July 5 outside Ton- Padilla Sunseri, the mayor of San Pedro Clinton’s tepid condemnations, expressed “School of Assassins,” the U.S.-run School contín Airport to welcome Zelaya back. Sula, Honduras’ second largest city where only after Latin American governments of the Americas at Fort Benning, Ga. The Honduran military’s coup a week militant demonstrations have been tak- took strong actions in defense of the de- In addition, U.S. Assistant Secretary earlier had forced the constitutionally ing place, was arbitrarily removed and posed Honduran president. of State Thomas A. Shannon Jr. and U.S. elected president out of his residence and replaced by William Hall, Micheletti’s Many voices demand stronger U.S. Ambassador to Honduras Hugo Llorens flew him to Costa Rica. nephew. condemnations and actions. In a letter were fully aware of the conflicts leading Zelaya was returning July 5 from The country has been militarized. The circulated on the Internet, 1980 Nobel to the military coup. They met with gov- Washington, D.C., where he attended an army has placed roadblocks in the main Peace Prize winner Adolfo Pérez Es- ernment officials including Zelaya and emergency meeting of the Organization highways, particularly the ones leading to quivel of Argentina wrote: “There are no Micheletti before the coup. (New York of American States, which voted unani- Tegucigalpa, in an attempt to stop dem- isolated events; this reflects the politics Times, June 29) They could easily have mously to eliminate coup-led Honduras onstrators from reaching the capital. The aimed at protecting the hegemonic polit- threatened to cut aid should a coup be from membership. army has stopped buses and shot at the ical and economic interests throughout carried out, but they did not. Live reports of TeleSUR in Honduras tires; yet people have continued on foot to the continent.” Who benefits from this coup? Wash- showed the airport crowd’s excitement. join the resistance. Esquivel criticizes governments that ington is unhappy with progressive de- The people shouted, “Watch out, the Miguel Insulza, the president of the “have expressed themselves very timidly velopments in Latin America. The U.S. people’s struggle is spreading throughout OAS, went July 3 to Honduras in a des- in the face of the coup, who appear to sup- rulers hate Venezuela’s Hugo Chávez, the Latin America,” “People, join in,” “The perate attempt to try to solve the situa- port the military coup.” He says that Latin Continued on page 10 people united will never be defeated” and “We want Mel,” referring to Zelaya’s middle name. The unarmed crowd faced a huge deployment of heavily armed po- Unionist from Haiti reports on minimum- lice and military, including snipers, which prevented the demonstrators from ap- proaching the airport. wage struggle As the Venezuelan jet flown by two Venezuelan Air Force pilots and carry- Louis Fignole Saint-Cyr of the Autonomous ing Zelaya and U.N. General Assembly Confederation of Haitian Workers (CATH) President Miguel D’Escoto approached, spoke at a meeting at the Brecht Forum the enthusiastic crowd had grown so large in New York City on July 5. He announced the police finally stepped back, allowing the formation of the Directorate of Liaison the people closer. This turned out to be between Community Groups and Unions to another criminal action by the illegal au- struggle to raise the minimum wage from thorities. the current $1.65 a day to $4.85 a day and People called on soldiers not to fire but to improve the social conditions of Haitian to join them, but the military attacked the workers and community members. demonstrators with tear gas and live am- Saint-Cyr also called for unity between the munition. A shot to the head killed one struggle of the Haitian people and progres- 19-year-old, and gunfire wounded dozens sives in the United States. of others. Troops parked two vehicles in Ray LaForest, a Haitian-American trade the middle of the runway as they threat- unionist, spoke about the struggle history ened the pilot that the Honduran Air of the Haitian people. Suzanne Ross of the Force would intercept the plane. Free Mumia Coalition introduced one of After several futile attempts to land, Mumia Abu-Jamal’s commentaries on Haiti. WW photo: G. Dunkel the pilot left, taking Zelaya to Managua, —Report and photo by G. Dunkel Ray LaForest and Louis Fignole Saint-Cyr. Page 10 July 16, 2009 www.workers.org U.S. stays in Kyrgyzstan as Jobs, jobs, jobs! Pentagon extends ere’s how the corporate media A real movement for jobs can demand air base lease present the enormous problem that the government put money directly Hof unemployment now seizing into job creation instead of giving away this country: It’s bad. It’s so sad. But trillions to the banks and insurance By Heather Cottin there’s nothing you can do about it; that’s companies with the vague promise that how capitalism works. Maybe things will somehow that will stimulate the econo- By increasing its financial offer to get better. my—which it hasn’t, not in the least. the regime in Kyrgyzstan, the Penta- Officially, unemployment is now 9.6 A real movement for jobs can begin gon has been able to buy the rights percent and rising. At least one analyst to contest the legal right of the bosses to extend its lease on Manas air base. says it’s probably more than 10 percent to just throw out workers when profits More than 189,000 U.S. and NATO because the figures don’t count the mil- are weak. It’s the workers who built the troops and much war materiel have lions incarcerated or those on Social plants, who created the wealth in the been flown the 600 miles from this Security Disability programs. Both have first place. They have years of equity in base to Kabul and the killing fields of “reduced the proportion of adults seek- their jobs. A good chunk of their wages Afghanistan. ing jobs, at least compared to recessions has been deferred to cover pensions and Kyrgyzstan, a country about half the of the past. Millions of Americans who medical plans, which are now threatened. size of California with a population of 5.4 would otherwise be counted as unem- The workers have a right to their jobs million, is located in Central Asia on the part i. ployed don’t get counted at all.” (Greg and to control their workplaces. northwest border of China. It experienced Burns, Chicago Tribune, July 7) In September, the G20 heads of state one of the “color revolutions” that broke On a trip to Moscow in February Baki- We all know that the official figure will be meeting on the economic crisis in socialist republics away from the Soviet yev managed to procure a $2 billion loan, doubles when you include those who Pittsburgh. It’s a good time and a great Union and whittled down Yugoslavia. which included money to help Kyrgyzstan have given up looking because there is place for workers to demand that jobs In February Kyrgyz President Kurman- build the 1,900-megawatt Karambata 1 nothing out there (“discouraged” work- come first in any plans under discussion. bek Bakiyev had signed a decree ordering hydroelectric project. (Mosnews, June ers) and those who work as little as one Many groups and coalitions are organiz- U.S. troops to leave Manas. It cost Wash- 19) In June, Russia’s state-owned natural hour a week but want to work full-time. ing protests and other events. ington hundreds of millions of dollars to gas giant Gazprom agreed to purchase the This means that more than 20 mil- The Bail Out the People Movement, change his mind. majority share of the state gas enterprise lion workers find themselves stranded which just participated in a success- The first “color revolution” took place Kyrgyzgaz. (UPI, June 19) without the paychecks needed to pay ful National People’s Summit and Tent in 2000 in the former Yugoslavia, after The Shanghai Cooperation Organiza- for daily expenses in addition to debts: City in Detroit, is putting out a call for the U.S. and its NATO allies broke up the tion is an international mutual-security medical bills, credit card debt, mortgages a Global Week of Solidarity with the former socialist federation and rained group originally founded as the Shanghai and car payments. The result is chaos in Unemployed to take place in Pittsburgh bombs for 78 days on Serbia in the spring Five in 1996 by the governments of China, their lives. Sept. 19-26. Its main demand is jobs, of 1999. In 2000, an uprising led by the Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Ta- The media are right about one thing. and it will erect a tent city in Pittsburgh OTPOR group in Serbia invalidated the jikistan and renamed the SCO in 2001 af- This IS capitalism. This IS how it works. for the unemployed. A major march is democratic election of Slobodan Milos- ter the admission of Uzbekistan. It’s a hellish system, especially in a planned for Sept. 20. evic, claiming vote fraud. The SCO met in June in Yekaterin- period of economic crisis—which is a Pittsburgh. September 19 through 26. During the election, the U.S. National burg, Russia, along with leaders of other recurrent feature of capitalism. Put those dates on your calendar. Work- Endowment for Democracy funded Ser- developing Eurasian nations to discuss bian groups that opposed President Slo- But that doesn’t mean the working ers need jobs, jobs, jobs! n the increasingly tense situation in the re- class has to sit back and take it. bodan Milosevic while billionaire George gion. Washington, as the most powerful Soros’ Open Society Institute helped member of NATO, is heavily militarizing organize and fund the opposition. Ser- its new NATO client states, from Georgia bia—which still had remnants of social- to Poland, while leaning on its NATO al- Hondurans vow to fight on ism—was transformed into a pro-NATO lies to contribute more troops to the war capitalist mini-state, open to Western in- against Afghanistan. vestment and penetration. Bakiyev had sworn he was closing the against coup regime U.S. quasi-governmental institutions Manas base in Kyrgyzstan, but met with like the International Crisis Group and Continued from page 9 particularly trade unionists and social Afghanistan’s president Hamid Karzai in Radio Free Europe, both funded by Soros, Bolivarian Alternative for the Americas activists denouncing the coup, are safe Yekatarinburg and subsequently changed as well as the National Endowment for and the possibility of losing an important and secure and will not be victimized by his tune. Democracy helped bring about Georgia’s source of wealth that they stole from Lat- violence and repression.” “Rose Revolution” in 2003, Ukraine’s The payoff in America a century ago. The imperial- In a July 5 letter to President Obama, “Orange Revolution” in 2004 and Kyrgyz- ists hate the idea that those in their “own cosigners Clark and Bishop Filipe Teix- Turkish President Abdullah Gul was stan’s “Tulip Revolution” in 2005. backyard” begin trading among them- eira of the Diocese Saint Francis of Assisi also in Yekatarinburg and told Bakiyev These countries had all split from the selves and with China, Russia and Iran. in Boston write, “We conclude that the that if the United States was able to con- Soviet Union in 1991 and had already be- The big coup backers are from the en- United States government has responsi- tinue to use the airbase at Manas, Kyrgyz- gun pro-capitalist reforms but were not trepreneurial and wealthy class in Hon- bility for the coup and is obligated to de- stan could expect a billion dollars in U.S. complete tools of the imperialist West. duras, the 13 oligarchy families. They say mand that the Honduran army return to investment. (Nezavisimaya Gazeta) In each case, the U.S. government, with Zelaya was too close to Chávez. constitutional order and avoid criminal Sweetening the package, the Pentagon corporate financing, helped put in place actions against the Honduran people. agreed to a rise in the rent it pays for the a regime even more open to privatization Response from U.S. progressives “We therefore insist, for the benefit of use of the base from $17 million to $60 and foreign investment. This extended U.S. organizations and individuals the peace in the region, that President million a year. the reach of the Pentagon and/or NATO have joined the international progres- Barack Obama immediately cut off all In addition, the U.S. government indi- further east toward Russia and China. By sive movement to oppose the coup and aid and relations to the Honduran army cated it would pay the Kyrgyz government this year, NATO had grown from its origin express solidarity with the Honduran and suspend U.S. relations with the gov- about $120 million for development, con- as a U.S.-Western Europe military pact to people, among them Danny Glover, the ernment of Honduras until the constitu- struction, airport traffic control and its having 28 members, mostly former so- “counter-terrorism” and anti-drug traf- AFL-CIO and International Action Center tional president is returned to office.” n cialist countries or Soviet republics. founder Ramsey Clark. ficking efforts. (Russia Today, June 23) In his open letter Glover writes, “It is Toktogul Kakchekeev, an independent Poverty accompanies Kyrgyz political scientist and security ex- imperative that citizens across the Unit- neo-liberalism ed States write and call upon President pert, says that “The Americans have ac- In all the former socialist countries, Barack Obama and Secretary of State complished their main task—they have poverty and unemployment grew astro- Hillary Clinton to quickly execute every retained their presence within the Com-

ww ww nomically as their “color revolution” gov- available influence to ensure that Presi- monwealth of Independent States,” refer-

p ernments carried out economic “shock ring to the euphemistically named alliance dent Zelaya is safely returned to his post.” hoto:Joh therapy” as ordered by the International The AFL-CIO writes, “We call on the of former USSR republics. He adds that Monetary Fund. State industries were ei- “the airbase case has been played accord-

United States Government to also take all n C ther shut down or privatized and social ing to a thoroughly worked-out scenario. a

measures within its diplomatic powers to t a

li services cut, while Western corporations [The] unwillingness of the Pentagon to ensure that all Honduran civilians, and n ot introduced factories that paid abysmally leave Kyrgyzstan demonstrates intention to low wages even as they closed higher- to retain its presence in CIS, particularly wage factories at home. in Central Asia.” (Asia News, June 24) Subscribe to Workers World newspaper In Kyrgyzstan the U.S. had backed Ba- The money from the U.S. is unlikely Eight weeks trial: $4 One year: $25 www.workers.org kiyev for president. But once in office, he to alleviate the poverty of the majority needed money and bargained for a bet- in Kyrgyzstan. The government has been Name Phone Email ter deal from the U.S. or Russia, both of condemned both within and outside Kyr- Address City/State/Zip which sought political, economic and mil- gyz borders as one of the most corrupt in Workers World 55 W. 17 St., 5 Fl., NY, NY 10011 212-627-2994 itary ties with this former Soviet republic. the world. n www.workers.org July 16, 2009 Page 11 African Union Summit discusses greater unity Adopts positions on Sudan and Somalia

By Abayomi Azikiwe to our existence. What use is it to us then seizure of power by the Islamic resistance volvement in Ethiopia’s invasion of Soma- Editor, Pan-African News Wire that our continent is so rich in material fighters of Al-Shabaab and Hizbul Islam, lia between December 2006 and January and human resources? ... The OAU must who control large sections of the south 2009, the Horn of Africa region has been Sirte, Libya, was host to the 13th Afri- face such a choice now—we can either and central regions of Somalia along with further militarized and destabilized. Many can Union Summit held July 1-3. The AU, move forward to progress through an ef- many areas within the capital. consider the humanitarian situation in an organization representing all 53 inde- fective African Union or step backward Although a few other African states Somalia the worst on the continent. At pendent states in Africa, held extensive into stagnation, instability and confu- said they would send reinforcements to the same time, there is an ever-increasing discussions on how to build unity and co- sion—an easy prey for foreign interven- AMISOM, none has yet done so. The cur- presence of U.S. and NATO warships, operation on the continent. tion, interferences and subversion.” rent U.S.-backed government in Somalia along with vessels from other countries, in Libya’s leader Muammar Qaddafi, who (“Revolutionary Path,” p. 307) has made a direct appeal for inter- the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean off the is the AU chairperson, utilized his expe- part II. vention from neighboring African coasts of Somalia and Kenya. rience and political clout to strongly ad- AU on Sudan and Somalia states as well as the “international Under the guise of fighting piracy, the vocate for the formation of a continental At this 13th AU Summit, the community.” imperialist states are poised for direct government. This has been a goal since general consensus was to oppose the In- Following TFG assurances it was get- military involvement inside Somalia. In the mid-1960s when the early indepen- ternational Criminal Court warrants that ting greater AU support, Al-Shabaab re- addition to the so-called anti-piracy cam- dence leaders who were revolutionaries have been issued against Sudanese Presi- jected the notion of strengthening the paign, the imperialists blame the Al-Qaeda struggled against the onslaught of neo- dent Omar Hassan al-Bashir and other AMISON mandate. “It is a chance for our organization for the advances of the Al- colonialism, where the imperialist pow- leaders of that country. The AU passed a mujahideen [holy warriors] to seize weap- Shabaab and Hizbul Islam forces that have ers sought to control Africa even after its resolution of noncompliance with the ICC ons from AMISON soldiers should they taken over large sections of the country. political liberation from colonialism. and accused the Western states of fail- come out of their hideouts,” Al-Shabaab Both these Islamic resistance groups, This year’s summit was held amid a ing to take into consideration repeated spokesperson Sheikh Ali Dhere told the however, have denied affiliation with Al- worsening global capitalist economic cri- calls by the AU to suspend the warrants July 5 Kenya Daily Nation. Qaeda. Their main motivating force has sis that has plunged 53 million more Afri- against the Sudanese leaders. “It will be a great chance for our fighters been a desire to rid Somalia of AMISOM cans into poverty over the last two years. Jean Ping of Gabon, chairperson of to test their fighting skills that will surely units and the U.S.-backed government in The AU debates reflected the ongoing the AU Commission, told the media that lead to the defeat of the foreign soldiers,” Mogadishu. struggle for unity and development. the resolution of noncompliance affirms, he added. The so-called pirates who patrol Soma- No unified continental government was “If you don’t listen to Africa and take our Al-Shabaab’s Sheikh Ali Dhere con- li waters say that imperialist states and created this time. The AU did agree to proposals into account, we are going to demned the AU Summit leaders who met multinational corporations are respon- transform the executive committee of the act unilaterally.” (VOA News, July 6) in Libya for discussing agenda items that sible for the destruction of the coasts and organization—the Commission—into an A handful of Western-allied states ex- work against the Somali people. the fishing industry through illegal theft Authority comprised of a chair, vice chair pressed unease about the AU’s defiance More importantly, despite the state- of sea life and dumping of toxic chemi- and 10 secretaries. These officials’ specific toward the ICC and consequently the ments by the TFG government, the July cals. No deaths took place in the seizure of portfolios will theoretically expand into imperialist countries. Even though many 5 Kenya Daily Nation reported, “The AU vessels by the pirates until the U.S. Navy institutional power over defense, diplo- other states, including the U.S., do not Summit, however, did not conclude a res- killed three Somali youths who had taken macy and international trade. recognize the ICC’s authority, these same olution allowing the Amisom peacekeep- a ship under their control and were nego- The Xinhua press agency reported July states use the warrants issued against Al- ers to directly support the TFG.” tiating its release. 4 that Qaddafi “held intensive bilateral Bashir to weaken and pressure Sudan, Af- Overshadowing the statements made Workers and all nationally oppressed and multilateral talks with African lead- rica’s geographically largest nation-state during the AU, the U.S. pledged addition- peoples in the United States are facing ers during this summit, to persuade those and an emerging oil-producing nation. al military support to the TFG. Undersec- the worse economic crisis since the Great who take different views to support the Botswana Foreign Minister Phandu retary of State for African Affairs Johnnie Depression in the 1930s. In Africa and creation of the AU Authority.” Skelemani said his government did not Carson said, “The U.S. is glad that the other developing or so-called Third World The report noted: “When meeting with agree with the AU declaration, citing Africa Union and IGAD (the Inter-Gov- countries, the global crisis in capitalism South African President Jacob Zuma, the treaty obligations with the ICC. Also the ernmental Authority on Development) has relegated tens of millions more into Libyan leader stressed that Tripoli and French-backed government of Chad, did take up the issue of Somalia at the poverty. Pretoria play significant roles in boost- which neighbors Sudan and is another Summit in Libya and have taken a strong These conditions prevailing interna- ing the AU development and establishing oil-producing country, voiced displeasure stance on the issue under their wings for tionally provide opportunities for workers the new AU executive organ. During the with the AU position. close and careful consideration. The U.S. and oppressed in both Africa and North meeting, Zuma conceded Libya’s efforts Regarding Somalia, the AU pledged will continue to look for ways of providing America to demonstrate solidarity in op- to set up the United States of Africa.” additional support for the U.S.-backed support to the TFG (Transitional Federal position to U.S. militarism and imperial- In the summit’s aftermath, the Libyan Transitional Federal Government in Mog- Government). ... This will include military ism. Perpetual wars and destabilization leader expressed satisfaction with the ef- adishu. “We welcome the support of the support in terms of arms and material efforts in Africa by the U.S. have not re- forts toward greater unity and cooperation. recent AU heads of state summit in Libya resources but not manpower.” (Xinhua, sulted in greater prosperity for workers Since the 1963 formation of the Orga- for the government ... and we have a firm July 4) in the U.S. In fact, resources utilized for nization of African Unity, renamed the pledge for the increase of the AU peace- imperialist wars contribute significantly African Union in 2002, the concept and keepers,” Somali Prime Minister Omar How U.S. imperialism to the decline in living standards among demand for continental unity has been a Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke told journalists stifles African unity workers in the highly industrialized capi- consistent theme among progressive and in Mogadishu. (BBC, July 5) Washington’s constant attempts to talist states. revolutionary organizations and lead- The forces of the AU Mission to Soma- both influence and dominate African af- Therefore, the defeat of world capital- ers. Kwame Nkrumah, the leader of the lia (AMISOM) have remained at 4,300 fairs complicate the efforts aimed at uni- ism and imperialism can be achieved only Ghana revolution that won national inde- troops supplied by the U.S.-backed states fication. Although the AU defied the U.S. through greater collaboration among the pendence in 1957, stated repeatedly that of Uganda and Burundi. These troops position on Sudan, it has been unable to working and oppressed peoples through- African unity and socialism were the pre- have been accused of attacking civilians effectively rebuke the Obama administra- out the world. requisites for genuine economic empow- in urban areas, resulting in the displace- tion on the question of sovereignty and Azikiwe has traveled extensively in erment and political stability. ment of 165,000 people from Mogadishu noninterference in the political situation Africa and has followed developments OAU co-founder Nkrumah hosted the alone since May. The AMISOM forces in Somalia. related to the ongoing quest for develop- continental summit in Ghana in October fight alongside TFG units to prevent the Since the Bush administration’s in- ment and unity on the continent. n 1965, just four months prior to his re- Mundo Obrero moval from office in a right-wing military and police coup backed and financed by the United States under the administra- Resistencia al golpe en Honduras tion of President Lyndon B. Johnson. During this summit, Nkrumah stressed de otras medidas que paralizarían al régi- Presidente estadounidense, la Secretaria Continua de página 12 the need to go beyond national indepen- men golpista. de Estado y el Embajador a Honduras dence toward a unified Africa that would que un golpe derechista eliminara los Hasta los grupos de trabajo de la OEA han tenido que oponerse públicamente al oppose Western hegemony. avances que los movimientos y gobier- y de la ONU convocaron reuniones de golpe y reconocer a Zelaya como el único At the OAU Summit on Oct. 21, 1965, nos populares y progresistas han logrado emergencia donde condenaron el golpe. presidente hondureño. Nkrumah stated: “In spite of these resolu- en la región. Hasta los gobiernos latino- La OEA en su totalidad quedó en reunirse El rol de los Estados Unidos es ambiguo. tions and declarations, in spite of all good americanos menos progresistas denun- el 1º de julio en Washington, DC. Debido a la conexión del Pentágono con intentions, in spite of our plans, the naked ciaron el golpe y demandaron la reinsta- Casi todos los movimientos progresis- el ejército hondureño, es dudoso que los fact, alas, is that Africa is still an impover- lación inmediata de Zelaya. tas del mundo han condenado el golpe. La hondureños hubieran podido actuar sin ished continent, immobilized by the lack Los países del ALBA y SICA prometier- mayoría de los gobiernos se han opuesto que personas importantes del gobierno es- of political cohesion, harassed by imperi- on retirar a sus embajadores de Honduras públicamente. Brasil, Chile y México se tadounidense y del Pentágono lo supieran. alism and ransacked by neo-colonialism.” hasta que Zelaya sea reinstalado. Otras unieron a los esfuerzos del ALBA y SICA El rechazo público del golpe por el Presi- (“Revolutionary Path,” 1973, pp. 304-5) medidas que tomaron fue cerrar las fron- para retirar a sus embajadores de Hondu- dente Barack Obama, aunque leve—fue in- The Ghanaian leader later said, “This teras con Honduras, congelar préstamos ras. El ministro de relaciones exteriores de usitado—y pone en tela de juicio la cuestión is so because our unity is still incomplete y fondos, incluyendo el financiamiento de España dijo que va a recomendar acciones de quién en la clase dominante estadoun- and ineffective in the face of grave threats eventos deportivos y culturales, además semejantes por la Unión Europea. Aún el idense formula la política de este país. n M ndo Obrero ¡Proletarios y oprimidos de todos los países, uníos! Huelga general opone resistencia al golpe en Honduras Movimiento popular masivo se opone al régimen militar Por Berta Joubert-Ceci Zelaya tomó posición en el 2005. Y La electricidad fue cortada en partes de aunque procede del Partido Liberal de Tegucigalpa, haciendo extremadamente 30 de junio—Unos 200 soldados del centro-derecha, ha tomado posiciones difícil la comunicación telefónica y de ejército hondureño fuertemente armados progresistas recientemente, e incluso ha Internet. El canal oficial de televisión fue rodearon la casa del Presidente demo­ expresado su solidaridad con la Revolu- cerrado al igual que otras estaciones que cráticamente elegido Manuel Zelaya en la ción Cubana. habían estado informando sobre el golpe. madrugada del 28 de junio. Después de dis- Sólo las cadenas privadas se encontra- Hacia el golpe parar contra la casa, los soldados irrumpi- ban en el aire, difundiendo programas de eron en la residencia, apuntando sus armas Los conspiradores del golpe actuaron dibujos animados y otros que no tenían a la cabeza y al pecho de Zelaya forzándole justo cuando se iba a conducir un sondeo. nada que ver con los hechos, reportando a montarse en un vehículo que lo llevaría a Era una encuesta no vinculante donde se falsamente que el país estaba en completa un avión con destino a Costa Rica. le pedía a las/os votantes su opinión so- calma. Este flagrante golpe militar es un de- bre si querían que en las próximas elec- Se intensificó la represión. Sobrevola- safío para toda Latinoamérica progre- ciones de noviembre hubiera una cuarta ban helicópteros; tanques y tropas arma- sista. Despertó una inmediata resistencia urna con la pregunta de cambiar o no la das fuertemente reforzaron al ejército y masiva de las organizaciones populares y Constitución de Honduras. La encuesta la policía fue movilizada. Las fuerzas ar- un rechazo activo de los gobiernos progre- era no vinculante porque la mayoría en la madas dentro del área del Palacio Presi- sistas de América Latina y organizaciones Legislatura, que está contra Zelaya, había dencial comenzaron a marchar hacia las/ progresistas del mundo. El golpe no ha re- aprobado una ley prohibiendo tener cu- os manifestantes que estaban al otro lado cibido ningún apoyo diplomático abierto alquier referéndum 180 días antes del fin del cercado. Se podían oír disparos, y gas- mundialmente, ni siquiera de las reaccio- del término presidencial del actual presi- es lacrimógenos fueron lanzados contra el narias potencias imperialistas. dente y el término de Zelaya finaliza a co- pueblo desarmado. Al final del día 29 se Según una agencia de prensa cubana en mienzos del año 2010. reportó que una persona había muerto, su reporte desde Honduras “Los princi- El pueblo de Honduras había enviado más de 100 heridas/os, y más de 300 es- taban encarceladas/os. pales gremios, agricultores, organizacio- 400.000 firmas a la oficina del Presidente MO Foto: Joan Marquardt nes juveniles y sociales en Honduras están pidiendo un referéndum sobre el cambio San Francisco, 28 de junio TeleSUR y los medios hoy en su segundo día de huelga contra el de la actual Constitución, la cual perciben Resistencia del pueblo gobierno dictatorial en el país”. (30 de ju- como inadecuada para las necesidades de TeleSUR, basada en Venezuela pero con al golpe militar nio, Prensa Latina) la mayoría de la población. recepción en toda Latinoamérica, fue el Zelaya ha prometido regresar a Hondu- El 24 de junio, Zelaya ordenó al Jefe de Roberto Micheletti, presidente del Con- único medio masivo que consistentemente ras después de dirigirse a la Organización Estado Mayor General Romeo Vásquez, greso Nacional y principal conspirador informaba al mundo sobre este horrible de Estados Americanos en Washington. El un graduado de la tristemente célebre Es- del golpe, rápidamente fue juramentado acontecimiento. Hasta CNN en Español Secretario General de la OEA José Miguel cuela de las Américas en los EEUU, dis- como el “nuevo presidente” de Honduras mostró pietaje de TeleSUR. Esta lucha Insulza, el Presidente de la Asamblea Gen- tribuir el material de sufragio a los cen- en lo que fue una repetición del golpe del ha mostrado el rol decisivo de los medios eral de la ONU Miguel D’Escoto, la Presi- tros de votación en todo el país. Vásquez 2002 contra el Presidente de Venezuela progresistas. La comunidad internacional denta de Argentina Cristina Fernández y se negó, alegando que la consulta era Hugo Chávez. Micheletti leyó una falsa progresista pudo responder rápidamente el Presidente del Ecuador Rafael Correa le “ilegal”. Zelaya ordenó entonces la des- “carta de renuncia” de Zelaya fechada el debido a TeleSUR. Sus equipos de report- acompañarán. titución de Vásquez. Más tarde la Corte 25 de junio y con una firma falsificada. eras/os y camarógrafas/os valientemente Aunque las fuerzas golpistas han expe- Suprema de Justicia, opuesta también a Unos minutos más tarde, Zelaya apareció transmitieron constantemente, entrev- dido una orden de arresto contra Zelaya Zelaya, reintegró a Vásquez. en TeleSUR y CNN en Español desde Cos- istando al pueblo en Tegucigalpa, y most- si él regresa, todos los sectores sociales y Las urnas que estaban almacenadas ta Rica diciendo que de ninguna manera rando imágenes de la lucha que provoca- progresistas están organizando una mar- en una base aérea militar, luego fueron había renunciado, sino que fue removido ban lágrimas de desaprobación. cha masiva para darle la bienvenida. liberadas por el pueblo y por el mismo de su cargo por la fuerza. Más tarde el 29 de junio, debido a su Zelaya. Al enterarse del golpe, los movimien- rol crucial en revelar este golpe crimi- ¿Quien respalda el golpe? Antes del golpe, muchos sectores alia- tos sociales de Honduras comenzaron a nal, miembras/os del equipo de TeleSUR Este golpe militar sirvió a los intereses dos a la oligarquía, entre ellos miembros reunirse frente al Palacio Presidencial en fueron arrestadas/os, y sus teléfonos ce- de un pequeño grupo de adinerados oli- del Congreso, grupos de la oposición, el apoyo a Zelaya, rechazando al régimen lulares y documentos personales fueron garcas y a las fuerzas políticas derechistas clero y los empresarios, le pidieron al golpista. Desafiaron el toque de queda confiscados. Debido a la acción diligente pro-estadounidenses en Honduras que pueblo que se quedara en casa y se abstu- impuesto por Micheletti y se quedaron de muchas personas que trabajan en los se oponen a la administración de Zelaya. viera de votar. toda la noche, prometiendo bloquear el medios, y con la ayuda del embajador Estos derechistas están en contra de las camino para que el usurpador no llegara venezolano, el equipo de TeleSUR fue lib- reformas que Zelaya ha estado implemen­ Bajo ataque Zelaya y su gabinete al palacio. El pueblo armó barricadas en erado y continuó la transmisión de noti- tando dirigidas a ayudar a la gente de ba- Cuando Zelaya llegó al aeropuerto en varias calles que rodean el palacio, es- cias el día siguiente. jos ingresos, las/os obreras/os y las/os Costa Rica el 28 de junio, él y el presiden- cribió grafiti en las paredes a favor de Ze- des­favo­recidas/os. Aborrecen la decisión te de Costa Rica Oscar Arias convocaron a laya y en contra de Micheletti, incendiar- Líderes progresistas de Honduras el año pasado de unirse a la una conferencia de prensa. Arias expresó on neumáticos y estacionaron camiones de Latinoamérica responden Alter­nativa Bolivariana de las Américas su oposición al golpe y su solidaridad con de agua en frente del palacio presidencial. El Presidente Rafael Correa del Ecua- (ALBA), una organización que promueve la Zelaya, quien por primera vez pudo de- Los sindicatos, estudiantes, mujeres dor y el Presidente Chávez de Venezuela cooperación regional que ya incluye a Boli­ nunciar públicamente el golpe. y otros sectores sociales se movilizaron. declararon que nunca más un país lati- via, Cuba, Dominica, Ecuador, las Grana­ Mientras en Tegucigalpa, la capital Una efectiva huelga nacional se inició el noamericano será dejado en las manos dinas, Nicaragua, San Vicente y Venezuela. de Honduras, los militares perseguían a 29 de junio y todas las escuelas se cer- de golpistas derechistas. El Presidente Los países miembros del ALBA se com- cada miembro/a del gabinete de Zelaya, raron. Al día siguiente tres sindicatos Daniel Ortega de Nicaragua rápidamente prometen a trabajar para el beneficio de quienes aún hoy se encuentran en situ- importantes del sector público comen- ofreció su país para ser sede de tres im- los pueblos, no para el de las corpora- ación de riesgo. El ejército rodeó la casa zaron una huelga general. Unos 100.000 portantes conferencias de urgencia para ciones multinacionales, para poner los de la Canciller Patricia Rodas, quien lla- trabajadores se sumaron a la huelga, de debatir el caso de Honduras. Todas fuer- intereses del pueblo ante del lucro, para mó a los embajadores de Cuba, Nicaragua acuerdo a Oscar García, Vicepresidente on convocadas para el 29 de junio, el día hacer que su lema sea la solidaridad en y Venezuela para protección. Cuando los de SANAA, el sindicato de trabajadores después del golpe. Primero se reunió la el comercio y la cooperación cultural, en militares irrumpieron en la casa, los em- de acueductos y alcantarillados de Hon- ALBA, luego el Sistema de Integración de deportes, ciencias y en todo tipo de esfuer- bajadores abrazaron a Rodas para preve- duras. (CNN, 30 de junio) Centroamérica (SICA), y al final del día el zos, y para operar como un grupo que no nir que las tropas le hicieran daño. Micheletti inició un reinado de terror, Grupo Rio, el cual consta de 24 naciones compite entre ellos sino que buscan la in- Los soldados los golpearon y se lleva- ordenando la dispersión de los manifes- latinoamericanas y caribeñas. Estados tegración de la región. ron a Rodas y al embajador cubano con tantes, por la fuerza si fuera necesario. El Unidos no pertenece a ninguno de estos Esto contrasta muy agudamente con ellos. A la fuerza condujeron a Rodas a país fue militarizado. El ejército cerró los tres grupos. las relaciones comerciales con Estados una base de la fuerza aérea llevándola caminos, previniendo que grupos de indí- Expresando urgencia, estos líderes es- Unidos, el mayor socio de la economía luego a México. Al embajador cubano lo genas y otros viajaran a Tegucigalpa para taban firmemente resueltos a prevenir hondureña. dejaron en medio de una carretera. unirse a la resistencia. Continua a página 11