PUBLISHED BY THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISTS OF AMERICA
January /February 1993 Volume XXJ Number 1
Danger & Opportunity . -~~'HJ
J0 se LaLuz on prospects for democracy and justice in the Americas
Eric Lee on the Arab-Israeli stalemate
Bogdan Denitch on the collapse of Yugoslavia
Francis Adams andAnne Peters ontheperilsofNAFI'A INSIDE DEMOCRATIC LEFT INTERNATIONAL STRUGGLES On the Left The Perils of NAFT A by Harry Fleischman ... 9 by Francis Adams & Anne Peters ... 2 Who Wants Peace in the Middle East? Radical Democracy in the Americas: by Eric Lee... 10 an inteNiew with Jose LaLuz. .3 The Collapse of Yugoslavia: 1993 Directory of DSA Locals. .7 an inteNiew with Bogdan Denitch. . .12
DSAction... 8 Janie Higgins Reports ... 16 cover photos by Tordai and Kathleen Foster/Impact Visuals
Expansion of the export sector is rable access to capital, economies of EDITORIAL then expected to stimulate other sec scale, advanced technologies, or tors of the Mexic~ economy, in marketing skills. Small landowners creasing employment opportunities, will also be displaced as production THE PERILS OF raising real incomes, and laying the of cash crops for export replaces the foundation for genuine national de production of staples to meet local NAFTA velopment. needs and the best lands become Unfortunately, there have been concentrated in the hands of a small BY FRANCIS ADAMS AND few attempts to examine the differen group of foreign and local exporters. tial effects that NAFTA is likely to The cost of living is already soaring in ANNE PETERS have inside Mexico or to seriously Mexico. This combination could re The recently completed North consider the social and political re sult in declining real income and in American Free Trade Agreement percussions of the agreement. creased unemployment. (NAFTA) among the United States, NAFTA may be as devastating for Moreover, it is important to con Canada, and Mexico is sure to spark Mexican small business and agricul sider the type of jobs that foreign intense and emotional debate as it ture as it is likely to be to many indus corporations are likely to bring to moves toward congressional review trial and agricultural communities unskilled Mexican laborers. The later this year. across the United States. maquiladoras presently operating There has already been consider On the one hand, certain sectors along the nation's northern border able speculation about who will be of the Mexican economy will clearly are already notorious for low wages, the primary "winners" and "losers" benefit from liberalized trade and poor health and safety conditions, in this country from the creation of a investment regimes. Entrepreneurs continued on page 15 regional trading bloc. The initial in industry and agribusiness will assumption is that while American benefit from access to American and DEMOCRATIC LEFT businesses and consumers will gen Canadian markets, while profession erally benefit from the accord, some als and skilled laborers will find ex Founding Editor American assembly jobs will be lost panded employment opportunities Michael Hanington (1928-1989) as corporations shift their operations in multinational corporations, possi Managing Editor to Mexico and U.S. farmers will face bly with significantly better wages Michael Lighty and benefits than they now enjoy. increased competition from im Production ported fruits and vegetables. At the same time, it is not at all Dnid Glenn At the same time, most analysts clear that the gradual reduction of UitoruJJ Committee have declared Mexico the clear-cut tariffs and other barriers to trade and investment would benefit the major Dorothee Benz, Joanne Barkan, winner in the accord. Access to for Howard Croft, Mitcl\Horowitz, ity of working class and poor rural eign markets will stimulate local Sherri Levine, Neil McLaughlin, Mexicans. export production and expanding Maxine Phillips foreign investment will bring an infu NAFTA is likely to lead to the !lomacnic Loll (l!5N 016'0310'1) It~ elx Um I ,...111.S sion of much-needed capital and dismantling of a broad array of o..t. St. t 500. NY. NY 1003I. So 2 DEMOCMTIC LE.FT 11 The Most Participatory Way" . Prospects for Radical Democracy in the Americas: An Interview with Jose Laluz emocratic Left: The mainstream in the hemisphere, and those are the people who press has written extensively about have to become the subject, not the object, of how democracy has come to Latin democracy. They have to become protagonists and South America, yet in some re of this political project that has yet to be imple D mented in our hemisphere, which calls for an spects they praise a very narrow, limited vision of democracy. What are the prospects for a expanded role in the civil society. That is our broader vision and program, a "radical" democ understanding of democracy. racy in the Americas? DL: Let's make this country-specific and LaLuz: The various forces that are emerg first talk about Venezuela. What's your view of ing in the hemisphere, the voices that are in fact democracy in Venezuela in light of the recent putting forth an alternative vision of what de coup attempts against the social democratic mocracy is, the Workers Party in Brazil, Causa government of Carlos Andres Perez, what are Radical in Venezuela, the Party of the Demo the prospects in Venezuela for a radical democ cratic Revolution in Mexico, and others, have racy? been insisting that Latin America has never LaLuz: The best example of what we mean truly experienced democracy, because democ by democracy has to do with the fact that grow racy means that citizens are able to participate in ing sections of the people in Venezuela, particu any and all institutions, and that includes politi larly the working class and poor people, do not cal parties most certainly, it includes trade un see the political project of our sister party in ions, and most fundamentally the state. They Venezuela, the Accion Democratica, led by conceive democracy in the most participatory President Perez, as one that speaks to their way, so that people are involved in decision legitimate aspirations and interests. These at making at all levels; particularly when it comes tempted coups d'etat by sections of the military to economic planning, planning for develop did not enjoy popular support; it wasn't like the ment of the respective countries. People should civic military insurrection in the '50s that over be involved in formulating policies and pro threw the military dictatorship in Venezuela, in grams that affect their daily lives, that affect which our sister party played in fact a promi their standard ofliving, the quality of their lives. nent role. However, growing sections of the And that calls for, in fact, as you characterize it, people identify with some of the goals of this a radical approach to democracy. It's not just a military element that led the coup, because in matter of exercising their right to vote every fact they call for a participation of people in the four or five or six years. economic integration processes that are being What we're discussing here is participation promoted by President Perez himself, and by by all sections of the population, particularly his party in his administration. those that have been deliberately and con As a result of this crisis, we see some very sciously disenfranchised: workers, poor people interesting developments. In the most recent who live in marginalized communities - these elections in that country, the gubernatorial and are the people who have yet to benefit from this municipal elections, the opposition, which in experiment in what we call a radical democracy cludes some elements that were formerly in the 1993 3 Accion Democratica, and now are part of this think of particular interest to the American left new party, called Causa Radical, which func has been the rise of the Workers Party in Brazil, tions and operates more like a movement. and its very charismatic leader, Inacio da Silva, These are the ones that have put forth a vision of known as Lula. What can you tell us about their program in the context of radical democracy, what we're talking about is a and specifically their prospects for electoral process that allows citizens to success in Brazil? LaLuz: That is a fascinating case in point, participate fully in developing because when it comes to Brazil, what we're their own programs ... talking about is the legacy of corporatism, simi lar to the fascism through a populist party that radical democracy and of the need for people to dominated the state under the dictatorship of participate fully and in any and all processes Vargas, in which the trade unions in fact were that affect their lives, especially economic deci part and parcel of that political project. And sions such as those that have to do with trade now the birth, or the rebirth if you will, of the and investment in the Andean region (President Brazilian left was the result of the thrust to Perez and our sister party are part of this An wards democratization, of not only the state dean economic integration project in that region legacy of corporatism, but also the democratiza of South America). The Causa Radical is also tion of society itself. After the decimation of the promoting participation in redistribution poli Brazilian left in the late '60s and '70s, a new left cies, especially the whole question of the use of emerged with a new language, with a new prac the oil resource in Venezuela, in order to bring a tice, which is the result of the experience of the lot more equity in terms of the economic growth Christian-based communities, the popular edu that has been attained in that country. cation, people that did a different type of organ We have in Venezuela a very clear example izing within trade unions to reconstruct a pro of how the failure of the social democratic party gressive presence, all of which resulted in the to grasp the necessity to incorporate ever-grow formation of an independent trade union move ing sectors of the working class and the people ment, known as the cur, the Unitary Confed Riot police arrest into this thrust towards democratizing the state eration of Brazilian Workers. Out of that whole striking civil and all institutions has resulted in its own seri experience, there emerged a new political for service employ ous internal crisis. And I anticipate that this will mation, the Workers Party, which sees itself as ees In El Salva also be the case for other sister parties. the institution that has the major responsibility dor. DL: Let's tum to the situation in Brazil. I for democratization, of not only the state but of Brazilian society. Their experience has been very instructive from the point of view of those of us who subscribe to this view I of radical democracy, be cause in the recent past they i were able to win significant I gains in the electoral front. For instance, they won the l elections in Sao Paolo in the last round of municipal elec tions, as well as in other major cities in Brazil. That gener ated a debate within that party and its allies about what it means for people who sub scribe to this view of democ racy to ad~ster and gov ern. In the city of Sao Paolo, which is the country's largest city, the party advocated the creation of parallel organiza- 4 DEMOCRATIC LE.FT I I "' I ' . ,,,,. .. • ' • tions to those municipal governing bodies, so multi-faceted process that allows citizens, that In a maqulla that people would have the possibility to par allows people, particularly those that have been dora In Quate ticipate fully in developing their own proposals systematically disenfranchised, the opportu mala City,A about how to govern better a city like Sao Paolo. nity and the possibility to participate fully in young woman That resulted in some tension: some elements in developing their own proposals and their own assembles the party saw the party's role as that of support policies, and ultimately their own programs to clothing for export to the ing, without criticism, without question, the govern the municipality or to govern the state, U.S. municipal administration of a leading party or as the case might be, to govern a country. member, a woman who became mayor of Sao That is also happening in Mexico. Paolo. And it's very instructive also that the Dl: Let's talk about Mexico. party lost the election in the most recent round laluz: In Mexico, there are similarities of municipal elections, which coincided with with the character of the state in Brazil, because my visit there in November. And a lot of that we' retalkingonceagainaboutaone-partystate, had to do with discontent among the people of and a corporatist state, in which, since the Sao Paolo with some of the programs or lack thereof from this Workers-Party-led municipal administration, although the party won the people have to become the elections in other cities. subject, not the object, of DL: Does this conflict, or tension, between popular and representational democracy hold democracy. broader lessons for the left? Laluz: Yes-that is the tension, the dialecti Mexican revolution, the Institutional Revolu cal tension if you will, that we have to insist on tionary Party (PRI) has been the only party in when it comes to the practice of democracy. It is power. It wasn't until recently, until the last two not enough to elect somebody to enable that decades really, particularly the very recent past, person, him or her, to develop a public policy that there has been an opposition we can actu and develop programs; it becomes important ally speak of in Mexico. And that came about as for citizens to participate fully in any and all a result of the split from the PRI itself, led by the decisions, and obviously we're not talking Democratic Current, elements that were identi about lobbying either. We're not talking about fied with a section of the PRI, which included lobbying as it is practiced in this and other Cuahetemoc Cardenas, Porfirio Munoz Ledo, countries, where it's just a matter of attempting who was the president of the PRI for years, and to monitor the work of a particular elected offi also Mexico's ambassador to the UN, and a cial. What we're talking about is a complicated, number of other leading figures of that party /ANUARY/Ff.BRUARY 1993 5 r f I Striking that seceded from the party, and coincided with their own lives on the line. In the state of workers some process of unification of the Mexican left Michoacan, where the PRO was the incumbent occupy a after the dissolution of the Communist Party in party, the fraud in the recent election also in textile Mexico and other left forces. All of these ele cluded a violent response by the PRI supporters factory In El ments coincided and resulted in the formation and presumably some of its leaders that re Salvador. of a political party that saw as its most impor sulted in the murder of many of the PRD's or tant task the democratization of Mexico. In this ganizers and leading members. The military is case, obviously not only the state, doing away in fact very much controlled by this corporatist with the one-party corporatist rule, but also state, by this one-party state. We can sense that in Mexico this question of democratization of the state and society could be a very tumultuous and perhaps even a violent process. DL: From this survey, what is your view of pis hemisphere is going the immediate electoral possibilities for the to witness some tremen radical democrats in the hemisphere? dous changes. LaLuz: We anticipate that the real democ racy, the participatory, popular democracy that we envision, is going to be the subject of much democratizing society as well. And that is in debate in the hemisphere in the coming years. fact the project of the Party of the Democratic Some of these parties that put forth and advo Revolution in Mexico (PRO). cate this view of radical democracy have real The complications, however, are perhaps possibilities of winning the elections in coun more serious because the powers of the presi tries like Brazil of course, or in Mexico itself. In dency in Mexico are perhaps unparalleled in the Chile there is a possibility of Ricardo Lagos, history of so-called democracy in Latin Amer who is the leader of the democratic socialist ica. Presidencialismo, as they describe it in Mex party there, our sister party, becoming elected ico, has no precedence in Mexico itself and the in the next presidential elections. So this hemi rest of Latin America, because as you know in sphere is going to witness some tremendous, Brazil, which has a similar history, the fact significant changes, and the parties and the remains that the legislative body was able to movements that are leading this see democracy impeach the president, and Collor had to step as something where citizens, where people, are down, and now a deal was dropped recently able to affect any and all decisions that impact where would not have to be tried, I believe. But their lives. And this is somethingthatwewould in Mexico, that's inconceivable. like to see in our own country o~rselves, but it's The conventional and popular wisdom is going to be the subject of much discussion with that the 1988 presidential election was in fact our friends and allies in the coming months. won by Cardenas. At that time, he was the leader of the broad-based opposition known as the Democratic National Front. And so the Jose LaLuz is a member of the National Political party in Mexico has made democracy its utmost CommitteeofDSA. He is the Worker Educator of the priority, and in Mexico that has meant putting Amalgamated Clothing and Textile Workers Union. 6 DEMOCMTIC LEFT I DSA Locals and Organizing Committees Northeast ALBANY Local, Mark Schaeffer, 518-362-7207 MAHONING VALLEY OH O.C., Allan Curry, 216-534-9327 399 State Street, Albany NY 12210 117 Caroline Avenue, Hubbard OH 44425 BALTIMORE Local, Laila Atallah, 301-467-9388 MILWAUKEE O.C.,Tom Sobottke, 414-367-5893 1443 Gorsuch Avenue, Baltimore MD 21218 208 Hill Court #8, Hartland WI 53029 BOSTON Local, Glenn Kulbako, staff, 617-354-5078 ST. LOUIS Local, Dave Nibert, 314-776-1261 11 Garden Street, Cambridge MA 02138 3535 Halliday Avenue, St. Louis MO 63118 CENTRAL NJ Local, William Volonte, 201-642-0885 TWIN CITIES Local, Dan Frankot PO Box 2029, Princeton NJ 08543 695 Ottawa Avenue, Saint Paul MN 55107 CENTRAL PA Local, Curt Sanders, 717-328-5124 WICHITA O.C., Jim Phillips, 316-681-1469 115 Loudon Road, Mercersburg PA 17236 2330 North Oliver Street #219, Wichita KS 67220 CONNECTICUT Local, Mike Phelan, 203-782-9189 80 Clinton Avenue, New Haven CT 06513 DC/MD/Northern VA Local, Bill Mosley, 202-483-3299 South PO Box 33345, Washington DC 20033 ATLANTA O.C., Cleveland Sasser, 404-634-9612 HOWARD COUNTY MD Local, Bob Feldman, 301-381-0727 1184 Argonne Way NE, Atlanta GA 30324 7205 Talisman Lane, Columbia MD 21045 AUSTIN Local, Dick Fralen, 512-820-0257 ITHACA Local, Theresa Alt, 607-273-3009 2409 West Eighth Street, Austin TX 78703 206 Eddy Street, Ithaca NY 14850 CENTRAL KY Local, Jim Ryder, 606-268-2983 NASSAU COUNTY NY Local, Mark Finkel, 516-538-8246 PO Box 1190, Lexington KY 40589 662 Howard Avenue, West Hempstead NY 11552 HOUSTON Local, Jerry Lynch, 713-864-3689 NEW YORK CITY Local, Steve Oliver, 212-962-1079 710 Courtland, Houston TX 77025 15 Dutch Street #500, New York NY 10038 OKLAHOMA O.C., Mark Hudson, 405-364-6842 PHILADELPHIA Local, Bruce Haskin, 215-729-2429 542 South Flood, Norman OK 73069 920 South 48th Street, Philadelphia PA 19143 TALLAHASSEE Local, Paul Lincolnhol, 904-878-6905 PITISBURGH Local, Bill Wekselman 1608 Chinnapakin, Tallahassee FL 32301 PO Box 5122, Pittsburgh PA 15206 READING-BERKS PA Local, Bob Millar, 215-944-0991 RD4, Box 4482A, Fleetwood PA 19522 West ROCHESTER, Nancy Kleniewski, 716-245-5541 2216 East Lake Drive, Conesus NY 14435 ALBUQUERQUE Local, Gerry Bradley, 505-881-4687 SUFFOLK COUNTY NY Local, Hugh Cleland, 516-751-0340 6008 Ponderosa NE, Albuquerque NM 87110 528 Pond Path, Setauket NY 11733 EAST BAY CA Local, John Katz, 415-653-4644 WESTCHESTER NY Local, Faye Bennett 914-769-0145 585 62nd Street, Oakland CA 94609 46 Usonia Road, Pleasantville NY 10570 FAIRBANKS AK Local, Richard Farris, 907-451-0098 Box 80967,Fairbanks AK 99708 JUNEAU AK Local, John Dunker, 907-465-3400 Midwest 592 Seatter Street, Juneau AK 99801 LOS ANGELES Local, Trish Bailey, 818-797-7640 ANN ARBOR Local, Eric Ebel, 313-662-4497 PO Box 77027-161, Pasadena CA 91117 P.O. Box 7211, Ann Arbor Ml 48107 MARIN COUNTY CA Local, Meyer Balin CARBONDALE IL O.C., E.G. Hughes, 618-549-1409 180 Marguerite Ave, Mill Valley CA 94945 PO Box 2201, Carbondale IL 67902 PALO ALTO Local, Carolyn Curtis, 415-364-6124 CHICAGO Local, Maggie Shreve, 312-384-0327 1418 Alameda, Redwood City CA 94061 1608 N. Milwaukee Ave.,4th floor, Chicago IL 60647 SACRAMENTO Local, Duane Campbell, 916-361-9072 CLEVELAND Local, Roger Willer PO Box 162394, Sacramento CA 95816 34732 Beach Park, Eastlake OH 44095 SAN DIEGO Local, Virginia Franco, 619-276-6023 COLUMBUS Local, Bob Fitrakis, 614-227-2482 5122 Gardena Avenue, San Diego CA 94110 44 Brunson Avenue, Columbus OH 43203 SAN FRANCISCO Local, Janet Kobren DANVILLE IL O.C., Brian Mitchell, 217-431-8251 121 Day Street, San Francisco CA 94131 1002 Glenwood, Danville IL 61832 SEATILE Local, Craig Satins, 206-784-9695 DETROIT Local, Roger Robinson, 313-822-4639 6221 Greenwood Avenue North, Seattle WA 98103 653 Pemberton, Grosse Pointe Park Ml 48230 SONOMA COUNTY CA Local, David Walls, 707-823-7403 INDIANA O.C., Brad Lorton, 317-293-2612 943 McFarlane Avenue, Sebastopol CA 95472 PO Box 1631, Indianapolis IN 46206 UTAH Local, Mary Reddick, 801-531-6233 IOWA CITY Local, Jeff Cox, 319-338-4551 PO Box 395, Salt Lake City UT 84110 112 S. Dodge, Iowa City IA 52242 VALLEY DSA Local, Leo Whitaker 1102 North Brand Boulevard #20, Glendale CA 91202 fANUARY/Ff.BRUARY 1993 7 DSAction th ec ion Gleminist Fourteen members of the DSA Youth Section, along with two comrades from the New Democratic Youth of Commissi n Canada, traveled to the U.S.-Mexican border January 5- The DSA Feminist Commission held a conference 12 to gather information about human rights and envi entitled "Socialist Feminists: Who Are We Now?" Janu ronmental abuses being committed by U.S. companies in ary 8-10 in Washington, D.C. The conference was de the maquiladora zones. signed to help set a socialist feminist agenda for the Many observers believe that these abuses will in Clinton era. crease if the North American Free Trade Agreement Over 100 people attended the opening-night plenary, (NAFTA) is ratified. The youth section planned this which featured Heidi Hartmann of the Institute for investigative trip as the first component ofa broader anti Women's Policy Research, NOW president Patricia Ire N AFTA organizing campaign. land, D.C. activist Gwen McKinney, and Kay Ostberg of The students visited several maquiladora industrial the Human Rights Campaign Fund. parks and workers' neighborhoods in the Mexican cities Saturday afternoon's session was entitled "Breaking of Matamoros and Reynosa. In Matamoros, across the Bread: Can We Be Part of a Multiracial Women's Move border from Brownsville, Texas, students met with for ment?" Speakers included Juanita Webster, of DSA's mer maquila workers who are organizing an under African American Commission and the Feminist Com ground movement to improve wages and working con mission; Tomasa Gonzalez, of DSA's Latino/a Commis ditions. They are demanding basic rights such as warn sion and the Feminist Commission; and Cindy Deitch of ing signs printed in Spanish and 30-rninute lunch breaks. the Feminist Commission. In Matamoros, the students witnessed toxic dumping by The Feminist Commission plans to compile a de General Motors, Zenith, and Stepan. tailed report of the conference, including synopses of all While in Texas, the students were hosted by local the major speeches and notes from each workshop. The leaders of the Amalgamated Clothing and Textile Work report should be available by late February. To obtain a ers Union. ACTWU and several other unions provided copy, send $10.00 to the Commission: 5123 Fifth Street crucial support for the trip. NW, Washington, DC 20011. Fighting for Hope: Remembering Petra Kelly by Eleanor Mulloney LeCain Petra Kelly, an outspoken champion for peace, a healthy environment, and human rights for all, was found dead on October 19 at the age of 44. The official statement maintains that she was killed by her companion, general-turned-pacifist Gert Bastion, who then allegedly killed himself. However, Petra and Gert had recently received death threats, and there is some specu lation that they could have been murdered by Nazis because of their work for human rights in Germany. We may never know the cause of Petra Kelly's death. But we do know the causes she championed with her too brief life. Petra Kelly was an extraordinary woman, a tireless fighter whose words and deeds helped change the political landscape. In 1979, she co-founded the Green Party in Germany, for which she served in parliament from 198.3 until 1990. She published numerous books and articles on ecology, feminism, peace, and human rights. I first met Petra ten years ago, when I was in Europe doing some human rights work. I was immediately struck with her intelligence and verve. She was full of life and compassion and fight. Our paths crossed over the years at various conferences where she inspired me and countless others with her clarity of thought and her courage. She was a firebrand with a vision. It is tragic that at a time of darkness, we have lost a woman who could help light our way. Petra believed passionately in nonviolent transformation to a more peaceful, just, and ecologically sustainable civilization. Although she has died, that vision lives. 8 D£MOCMTIC LEFT plan to work to strengthen the boy and Gore "to their promises." cott campaign throughout Indiana. An organizing tour by Arturo Ro driguez of the United Food and MINNESOTA Commercial Workers is planned for the spring. Stephen Peter, a DSAer who is also a member of the German by Harry Fleischman ILLINOIS Social Democratic Party, spoke at a meeting of the SL Paul-Minneapo Chicago DSAers have just lis DSA in November on the politi ALASKA published a six-page leaflet, Raise cal situation in Europe. Hell with Chicago Democratic Social DSAers Gene and Anita Martinez hosted a fund raiser for the Alaska DSAers met Decem ists, welcoming progressives into ber 9 to discuss "Political Restruc membership. It features comments Wellstone Alliance. Senator Paul turing: Opportunities and Options by United Steelworkers leader Ed Wellstone spoke to the DSAers and in the 1990s." SadJowski; Dr. Ron Sable, the Illi Democratic Farmer Laborites in at In Alaska as elsewhere, 1992 nois chair of the Physicians for a Na tendance. was a year of political gains for tional Health Plan; Vicki Starr, who women. Two progressive Demo appeared in the film Union Maids; NEwYoRK cratic women defeated two reac political scientist Jane Mansbridge; tionary, pro-life male Republicans and theologians Rosemary Reuther On January 15 New York City for State Senate seats representing and Michael Dyson. DSAheld a forum entitled "OurlOO South Anchorage and the Kenai Chicago DSA also sponsored Days or Theirs?" at which the mean Peninsula. four panels at the Midwest Radical ing of the Clinton victory for radical Scholars and Activists Conference, activists was discussed. Speakers CALIFORNIA which was held at Loyola Univer included DSA vice chair Jim sity in late October. DSA speakers Chapin, Noreen Connell of the DSAer Bonnie Anderson, a at the conference included Bogdan Education Priorities Panel, and Gale student at Los Angeles Valley Col Denitch, Bob Fitrakis, and J. Brewer, the federal liaison for New lege, helped launch the L.A. wing of Hughes. York City. the "Bite 'Em Back Campaign," the NYC DSA held a fundraising movement to recall Governor Pete IOWA bash on December 7 at which long Wilson. time activists Ruth and Victor Sidel DSA activists Barbara Iowa City DSA is working were awarded the Paul Du Brul Hooper and Donna Wilkinson host with Iowans Against the Death Memorial Award. Approximately a radio program entitled "Voices Penalty to fight legislation that 150 people gathered to honor the from the Left: A Socialist Perspec would legalize capital punishment Sidels, to enjoy a performance by tive." It's heard every other Friday in the state. They urge Iowans to Pete Seeger and Randy Harris, and at 5:00 pm on KPFI< 90.7, the Los contact State Representatives Mona to hear remarks by Manhattan Bor Angeles Pacifica station. Martin, Bob Rafferty, and Dick ough President Ruth Messinger and Los Angeles DSA plans a Weidman, the undecided members other political and labor leaders. March tour to Vancouver, BC to of the Iowa House Judiciary Com Ithaca DSA celebrated Bill learn first-hand about the merits of mittee. Clinton's victory with, appropri the Canadian health care system. ately enough, a waffle brunch. KENTUCKY INDIANA PENNSYLVANIA The Kentucky Socialist Ban DSA's DELCO I Seventh Indiana DSA has voted to ner's December edition featured Congressional District branch met make support for the United Fatm election reflections on social change Workers' boycott of California table and left values, notingthat"our first November 22 to discuss "The Elec tions and Beyond: Where Does the grapes a top priority for 1993. They order of business" is to hold Clinton Left Go From Here?" /ANUARY/FEBRUARY 1993 9 Who Wants Peace in the Middle East? Facing the stumbling blocks in the Rabin era BY ERIC LEE or fifteen years the Israeli left had a ment's disgraceful ban on Israeli-Palestinian two-word solution for the hundred contacts-despite all the fireworks of the Labor year-old Jewish-Arab conflict: elect government's "peace offensive," Israel has not F Labor. The only thing preventing the offered much more now than it did in the days outbreak of a wondrous era of peace and recon of Begin and Shamir. ciliation, we said, was the Likud government in Israel still does not recognize the PLO as a Israel. legitimate (or even illegitimate) partner in the Six months after Labor's spectacular return peace process. Years ago Israeli leftists would to power in the early days of summer, it has now say that the day will come when Israel will look become clear that there are, in fact, two ob back fondly upon Arafat; the radicalization of stacles to peace in the Middle East. the Palestinians would make Arafat look like a One, as we have discovered to our sorrow, moderate. That day has now arrived. The PLO, is the Arab side. The Syrians continue to back for better or worse, is the best negotiating part terror, and to back away from serious negotia ner Israel can find among the Palestinians. The tions, even when offered the Golan Heights in alternative is a nightmare: the murderous Is exchange for a peace treaty. The Lebanese will lamic Resistance Movement, known as Hamas. do nothing unless and until Damascus gives the As some recent elections in the occupied territo green light; negotiating with the Beirut politi ries have shown, Hamas has begun to displace cians as if Lebanon had an independent govern the PLO as the key player among the Palestini ment is absurd. Jordan and Israel could sign a ans. And still the Rabin government will not peace treaty today; in fact, they could have talk to the PLO. signed one years ago. There are no serious Israel will not concede even in principle, issues dividing the two countries. But Hussein even at this early stage, that it is prepared to is no Sadat, and will not dare to risk signing an negotiate with the Palestinians on the basis of agreement with Israel before the Syrians have UN Security Council resolutions 242 and 338. done so. What this means is that Israel is not willing to Tragically, the Palestinians are also a stum give up land for peace when it comes to the bling block. The election of Labor in Israel, Palestinians. The Rabin government is ada rather than forcing the Palestinians to adopt mant: there will never be an independent Pales more moderate positions and prepare them tinian state between Israel and the Jordan River. selves for compromise, has had no readily ap Finally, Israel's version of Palestinian au parent positive effect. To the contrary, the Pal tonomy is no different from the version offered estinian voices urging an abandonment of the by Menachem Begin at Camp J?avid. Auton peace process have grown louder day by day. omy is not seen as a transitional stage prior to The second obstacle to peace, it is now the establishment of an independent Palestinian becoming clear, is the Rabin government itself. state. It is not being offered to the tens of For all its talk of giving up the Golan Heights, its thousands of Palestinians who live in Israel's appeals to Syrian dictator Assad to come to a capital, Jerusalem. And thanks to a quarter summit meeting, its repeal of the Likud govern- century of Israeli occupation, tens of thousands 10 DEMOCIV.TIC L£Fr ofJewish settlers scattered throughout the terri last forever. On the contrary, I would expect that tories make the implementation of any auton within a few months, once Clinton is inaugu omy proposal nearly impossible. rated and Norway has held its local elections No wonder the peace talks are going no and whatever else has happened--1 would ex where. pect a very dramatic change. Journalists and politicians keep coming up And in expectation of that change, I know with good reasons to explain the delays. The that I should be taking my gas mask down from Israelis and Arabs are awaiting the results of the the attic and looking around for some masking Israeli electioqs. They're waiting for the results tape and plastic sheeting. Because we're either of the American elections. Now we're all wait going to begin making progress in the peace ing for Bill Clinton's inaugural. By the time this talks, or we're going to sleep in bomb shelters article appears in print, the excuse will be some and "sealed rooms." Syria's bloody despot has thing like the local council elections in Norway. said again and again that the alternative to prog The fact is that neither side is actually in any ress in the talks is war. His word is to be taken hurry to reach a peace agreement. The Arab seriously. The Syrians have attacked Israel twice governments negotiating with Israel (including in my lifetime. King Hussein says the same thing the state-on-its-way, Palestine) are, without ex all the time. Hussein is not talking about Jordan ception, impoverished, dictatorial regimes that attacking Israel - he means the possibility of a derive all of their popular legitimacy from the Syrian-Israeli war. And when Syria attacks, persistence of the conflict. Take away the "Zi bygones will suddenly be bygones, and Iraq will onist threat" and tyrants like Assad and rush to aid its Arab brothers with a few dozen Hussein will be hard-pressed to think of a rea Scud missile launches. son why they should be allowed to remain in So much for the new world order. power a moment longer. You really have to live A major war is, I think, not inevitable. It is in close proximity to these countries to under possible, even likely, that it can be prevented. It stand exactly what this means. Jordan's state can be prevented if both sides, or even one side, owned television, for example, exists, one realizes that the stakes in the Middle East have would think, solely to remind Jordanians about been raised dramatically since the last time that all the terrible things going on across the river, in Israel and Syria had a full scale fight, back in Israel, and of the wonderful job King Hussein 1973. Chemical, biological, and nuclear weap has been doing all these forty-some-odd years in ons have come into the region in wholesale fighting off the Zionists. Even Saddam Hussein quantities, at must-liquidate-inventory prices, justified his invasion of Kuwait as part of a thanks to the end of the cold war. master plan to reconquer Jerusalem from the Does the United States have an interest in infidels. The Arab dictators want an end to the preventing a "limited nuclear conflict" on the conflict about as much as the East German shores of the eastern Mediterranean? Does Communists wanted an end to the Cold War. Europe? Do the Israelis and Arabs understand And their regimes would survive just about as what their governments fail to grasp? I don't long following the signing of the peace treaties. know. While the Israeli people are hungry and My regular-guy friends in the anny re thirsty for peace (as are the Arab masses, no serves, the ones who used to vote Likud but this doubt), Yitzhak Rabin and his comrades on the time went for Rabin, like to answer: yeah, but right wing of the Israel Labor party are another what about Palestinian terrorists firing mortar at story. Rabin was never the great spiritual Tel Aviv's suburbs? And what about Jerusalem, leader of the Israeli peace camp. When hun the eternal capital of the Jewish state? And the dreds of thousands of Israelis were marching importance of the Golan in defending the east against the insane war in Lebanon, Rabin was ern Galilee? And the spiritual attachment of the urging the Likud government to cut off the Jewish people to Hebron and Nablus? water supply to Beirut. When Rabin had the I th.ink of the alternative, and tell them that chance to cope with the Palestinian intifada, land for peace is not such a bad idea. back in 1988, he gave the famous order to break arms and legs. Today he takes every opportu nity to bash his opponents on the left, as he did throughout the election campaign, when he Eric Lee, a member of Kibbutz Ein Dor, is author of equated the Israeli democratic left with the lu Saigon to Jerusalem: Conversations with Israel's natic fringe Right. Vietnam Veterans and the forthcoming Mole: I don't think that the current stalemate will Stalin and the Okhrana. JANUARY/FEBRUARY 1993 11 Facing the Worst in Former Yugoslavia With neo-fascist parties ascendent, can the democratic forces survive?: An interview with Bogdan Denitch ditor' s note: Democratic Left caught up his doorstep by killers who stabbed him after with DSA Vice-Chair Bogdan Denitch ringing his doorbell. They have not been found between international flights to discuss by the police, which hasn't got a trace of any E the crisis in Janner Yugoslavia. Denitch thing - they did make an announcement that it UXls an almost successful candidate for the Croatian was not a political killing. The United States parliament in elections this past summer. embassy in Croatia is excessively willing to give credit to the Croat authorities for good motives, Democratic Left You've just returned which I will not at this time. from former Yugoslavia. What's your view of DL: Can you give us a sense of the relation the situation there? ship of the Milosevic government in Serbia to Denitch: I visited Belgrade, Zagreb, and the Serbs in Bosnia and how that affects the Ljubljana in three of the main republics. I spent conduct of the war? as much time as I could with the opposition in Denitch: The war in Bosnia is waged by the Belgrade, which was totally demoralized, as a Serbs in Bosnia who could not wage it without result of the December 20 election, where, to the military, logistic and political support of the almost everybody's shock, about 30% of the Milosevic government. I regard the Milosevic electorate voted for a fascist party, and another, government as responsible, first, for breaking let's say 5%, 6% voted to send an additional up Yugoslavia. I think Yugoslavia was a lesser batch of killers into the parliament. People evil than what followed. I do not agree that the expected [Serbian President] Milosevic to national break up of Yugoslavia was necessarily probably win, and [Yugoslavian President] a step towards democracy. The Serbian regime Panic was after all a very peculiar figure; it killed Yugoslavia. Once Yugoslavia was killed, wasn't quite dear to what extent he represented it was a problem of what does one do with the American interests, to what extent he was a free successor states? And obviously, our comrades booter. But nobody expected an openly fascist there, who are a large number by the way, party to win as many votes as it did. The fascist wanted at least individual republics, like Serbia, figures in this particular case had obviously Bosnia, Slovenia, and Serbia, to be democratic been instruments of Milosevic's government states with powerful labor movements and and of the police. Once you get 30% of the vote, strong democratic socialist organizations. The however, you're no longer just an instrument; war made that almost impossible. And what it's a case of a tool becoming independent and you have is a remarkable similarity in domestic terribly dangerous. policies between the Milosevic and the Croat Croatia is not as wild a scene, it's much governments: both repress workers; both, prac more legal. Croatia was a victim of Serbian tically speaking, ban strikes; both have blocked aggression in the war of 1990-91, but it's an the formation of free trade unions; and both autocratic presidential system and a repressive have turned the factories which were run by state. My close comrade who was supposed to some kind of workers' self-management struc have set up a labor operation for the Social tures into state run factories. In fact, the anti Democratic Union got killed on December 17 on communist, post-communist regimes national- 12 DEMOCRATIC LEFT ized the factories that had been in the hands of by side, where you need a U.N. protectorate for workers, as a preliminary to trying to privatize a period of five to ten years to prevent revenge them. and counterrevenge, massacre and countermas But what's going on in Bosnia is an endless sacre -- because while the Serbs have to be horror. The overwhelming majority of the dead defeated in Bosnia, and I think this is a case are civilians: the elderly, women, and children. where there is a need for an international mili The Serbian regime and its militias in Bosnia are tary intervention against the Serbs, just defeat guilty of the political use of mass rape as an ing the Serbs will not solve the problem, because instrument of ~thnic cleansing, i.e., of shifting a one also has to assure that some kind of a population. The European Community, for civilized solution with human rights and pro example, reports that some 20,000 women have tection of minorities results. been raped, most of them gang raped in public, [U.N. envoy Cyrus] Vance, in my opinion, in order to make their families' stay in the areas has rewarded aggression by proposing a parti intolerable. They have held some of the raped tion which goes against the interests of the ma women for months so that they'd be forced to jority of the Moslems: it rewards the Serbs and bear children. the Croats at the expense of the Moslems, who DL: In the last couple weeks we've been are the most numerous group. And he goes on reading some reports in the U.S. press about so with a liberal paradigm that it's always better to called progress in the peace talks. What's your negotiate and talk. The answer is, yes, it would perspective on these reports? be if the fighting had stopped and they were Denitch: I think the barbarians have won. talking endlessly; but while they were talking The barbarians, mostly on the Serb side, but also endlessly, children were being murdered, partially on the Croat side, have had one mes women were being gang raped, and the Serbs Bosnian mllltta sage: that you can't have multiethnic communi kept expanding the territory they hold. The men march ties living side by side. Through their massacres Croats quietly, while no one was watching, also through a they have in fact created a situation where it is expanded their territory. So the talks were a Sarajevo now probably impossible for people to live side reflection of the helplessness of the international cemetery. fANUA.RY/Fc:BRUA.RY 1993 13 save their Jives. The Bosnian government is also playing a cynical game; it's not letting anybody leave Sarajevo, because if everybody leaves Sarajevo there's no Bosnian government anymore. So they're also treating people as pawns. DL: What do you think that DSA members, and the American democratic left, should be doing in relation to Yugoslavia? Denitch: I think, to begin with, we have to insist with our representatives and our friends in Congress and the Senate, that the American policy of not allowing in refugees and not allow ing people who are fleeing the holocaust in Bosnia into the States is a horror that has to stop. I think it's cynical to argue that to accept the refugees is to accept ethnic cleansing; no, it's not. It's providing minimal, humane help to people who are victims. Second place, there is the one missing fac tor: help from us, from the labor movement and from the democratic community, to the heroic opposition against the Milosevic government in Belgrade and the government in Croatia. At the present time, the Swedes have been helpful, and a few of the smaller European countries; Ameri DSA Vice community to create some instruments to deal can money has been badly misspent because of Chair with this kind of aggression. the scandalous situation we have with the Na Bogdan DL: What's your perspective on U.S. inter tional Endowment for Democracy, which has Denltch vention? been in the hand of inveterate cold warriors, Denitch: Intervention should have taken who are simply not interested in helping the place in April or May when the war broke out. existing democratic forces. They don't fit their By now hundreds of thousands of people are in particular image of what those should be. We peril of dying or have died, and even if the desperately need to provide help for the organi fighting were now to stop by some miracle, zations like the Social Democratic Union of some hundreds of thousands of people would Croatia and circles defending human rights in die, because the winter has set in and the cities Serbia. Even small funds would help those now have been destroyed. There should be military trying to create some labor defense offices in intervention now to prevent the continued four major cities to defend individual workers massacres in Bosnia, there should be a clear from repression, and to defend democratic un warning that any move south towards ions. I think here is a case where even small scale Macedonia of course would get an immediate outfits like ours can make a difference in life and response, there should be a continued blockade. death. But I think the U.S. has a scandalous position on this, that it will intervene or not intervene, but Bogdan Denitch has established an account to thatits troops will not be under U.N. command. support the democratic forces in the former That's precisely wrong. What we want is an Yugoslavia. Those interested in contributing international peace force to be able to intervene can make checks payable to the Institute for in this case, and the U.S. has not been picked to Democratic Socialism -- Yugoslavia Fund, and be the world policeman. I don't think that there send to IDS, 15 Dutch Street, Suite 500, New should be a ground intervention, I think that York, NY 10038. that's too late, but I do think that it is necessary to take out the artillery which is bombarding the cities, the tank units, which give the Serbian and Bogdan Denitch is a Vice Chair o/DSA and the chair the Yugoslav army an edge, and that it is neces ofDSA'slnternational Affairs Committee. He is one sary to open up corridors so that the population of the founders of the Social Democratic Union of in Sarajevo and the other cities can escape, can Croatia, which is a sibling party of ours. 14 DEMOCRATIC LEFT inequalities, reinforcing the very conditions that generate Adams & Peters poverty and underdevelopment in the first place. continued from page 2 So it is misleading to frame the impending debate over N AFTA as primarily a conflict between the interests of American and Mexican workers. The agreement does long working days, forced overtime, and the use of child not represent a victory for poor and working class people labor. Workers attempting to organize in these assembly in either country. Rather it tends to advance the interests plants are frequently harassed, threatened, fired, or im- ofa fairly narrow economic elite in both nations, facilitat prisoned. • ing the growth of investment capital by increasing access NAFTA promoters have largely downplayed or ig to natural resources and cheaper labor in both Mexico nored these social and human costs. While these condi and the United States. tions have been criticized, they are nonetheless an inte gral part of the "competitive advantage" which Mexico offers to the relocating plants. Francis Adams teaches in the Politics Department at Ithaca In short, NAFTA is unlikely to alter the structural College. Ann Peters is a doctoral candidate in Anthropology at injustices which presently exist in Mexican society. If Cornell University. They are both members of the Committee anything, the accord will preserve and intensify existing on United States-Latin American Relations at Cornell. join us for the 1993 DSA vouth section Winter Conference A. Tcoal No. CCIJ>'°' Pnnlod 8. Poid ud/ ar R 1 .c::amcn,-~-- *-l vcndc:n Md FEBRUARY 12 • 14, 1993 NEW YORK CITY ,,. 2. MJUI~ IMZI C. T""'1hldud=--/ ara.q.-.! ClrcWolian 10,900 0 Fnc tuut>udon by Mall. c:.m. arOdw M- Sompln. Ccmpluamtaty eNJ Qd.., Fne ccp. IOO 1000 £.Tcoal~ 10,100 11.900 speakers Include: F Copo.Nct~ I. Ofilot U... ldt-, Nancy Riche president. New o.mocratlc Party, Canada ~~ """'pdftllng 300 100 Irving Howe co-«11tor, l2IIDD1. 2. a.tum_Ag_ 0 0 C. T""'1 11,000 12.000 Jose Laluz education director, AC7WU 1.-fv Ill.ti the""-""'""""bv••-• arecomctanda.olm/l }/\NW.RY/FEBRUARY 1993 15 Janie Higgins Reports MURPHY'S DTIBS RIZF The Eugene V. Debs Foundation will be awarding SWEATSHOP the fourteenth annual Bryant Spann Memorial Prize for Dan Quayle may be happy to learn the best article "written in the Debsian spirit of social that Sprint Long Distance, despite its protest and reform." Previous winners of the $1000 television endorsements from Murphy award include DSAers Todd Gitlin, Adam Hochschild, Brown's Candice Bergen, is hardly a hot Jack Metzgar, and Richard Cloward & Frances Fox bed of feminism. Predominantly male Piven. Deadline: April 30. For more information, call and predominantly female jobs at Sprint 812 232-216.'.3. have a wage gap roughly 25 percent wider than the comparable gender gaps at AT&T. Sprint operators are also subjected to man PAT'S BOUNTY agement eavesdropping, speed-ups, and a complete Colorado for Family Values, the far-right organiza lack of scheduling flexibility. Could the difference here tion that successfully fought for the passage of the be the absence of a union at Sprint, perhaps? Memo to state's anti-gay-rights referendum, has given its organ Candice: Television characters aren't the only women izational apparatus over to the Christian Coalition, the who deserve dignity on the job. national political group headed by television preacher Pat Robertson. Robertson deserves our thanks for hav ing called George Bush's New World Order "a Satanic YOU SAID IT plot," but we can do without his homophobic political Here's Iowa City DSA's 1992 "Inadvertant Moment campaigns. of Truth" Award: Karl Luther, the administrator of a Meanwhile, similar anti-gay organizing efforts Sioux City nursing home, dropped his facility from have been reported in Idaho, Maine, Minnesota, Mis Medicaid and forced some of the poorer residents to souri, Ohio, and Washington state. The time to fight move. 'That's living in America," he observed. these efforts is now. Democratic Socialists SAVE THE DATE: of America Join us! Membe.rs of the Democratic Socfalists of 1993 DSA convention America work in immediate struggles for justice - as we build a movement for long-tenn social change. We bring to our work a strategy for building alliances among social movements and a vision of a more just and equitable society. Join DSA and become a card-carrying November 12 -15 member of the largest and most exciting democratic socialist organization in the U.S.! ADORE$ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ • Cm/STATF./ZJ.p ------Santa Monica, California PHoNE ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ UNlON/5cHOOL/0RGANIZATION ------Q Send me more information about DSA. Q Encloted are my dueal a $60 1u1talner IJ S40 regular Q $20 low-lnc:ome/ttudent more information soon Make checlcs payable to DSA, and return to DSA: 15 Dutch St., #500, NY, NY 10038. (212) 962-0390