· AUSTRALIA $1.50 · CaNaDa $1.00 · FraNCE 1.00 EurO · NEW ZEalaND $1.50 · sWEDEN Kr10 · uK £.50 · u.s. $1.00 INSIDE Pathfinder Press president speaks at Venezuela book fair — PAGE 8

A SOCIALIST NEWSWEEKLY PUBLISHED IN THE INTERESTS OF WORKING PEOPLE Vol. 72/no. 47 DeceMber 1, 2008 Workers hit Socialist in 2,000 in N.Y. protest with more L.A. begins killing of immigrant layoffs, cuts campaign County measures encouraged attacks worldwide for mayor by brian williams By Wendy Lyons Layoffs, wage cuts, and reductions LOS ANGELES—The Socialist in social services continue to spread Workers Party announced it is running around the world as the capitalist eco- James Harris, a meat packer and mem- nomic crisis deepens. In some cases, ber of Local 770 of the United Food and workers are resisting the attacks. Commercial Workers, for mayor of Los Mining companies “are shuttering Angeles. operations and firing thousands of Campaign supporters completed a workers across South Africa, Aus- petitioning effort November 15, collect- tralia, Canada, and Russia,” reported ing 1,015 signatures in a week. The city the Wall Street Journal November 17. requires 500 registered voters to sign Tin smelters across Indonesia, where nominating petitions, but socialist cam- nearly 25 percent of the world’s tin is paigners took a goal of doubling that to made, are halting production. be in the strongest position to fight any Layoffs are rapidly mounting in attempt to deny the party ballot status. South Africa. Some 71,000 jobs were Vibiana Melchor, 21, a student at Pas- El Diario-La Prensa/Manny Patiño eliminated in the third quarter, re- adena Community College, signed the Protesters at vigil November 14 in Patchogue, New York, demand justice for Ecuadoran immi- ported the South African newspaper petition at the Ralph’s supermarket and grant Marcelo Lucero, who was stabbed to death in a racist attack by a gang a week earlier. Business Day. In mid-November Ura- subscribed to the Militant newspaper. “I nium One, a Canada-based company don’t believe the Democrats or Republi- by Cindy jaquith workers, landscapers, janitors, and with mines in South Africa, said it cans bring very much to the table,” she PATCHOGUE, New York—More day laborers, along with their fami- would lay off more than 1,000 work- said. “They seem to be forgetting about than 2,000 people turned out for a lies, converged for the vigil on the spot ers. The National Union of Metal- us working people.” candlelight vigil November 14 to where he was murdered. Most were workers reported General Motors SA Harris, 60, is a long-time leader of demand justice for Ecuadoran im- Ecuadoran, but some U.S.-born resi- is cutting 2,000 employees there be- the SWP. He is running against incum- migrant Marcelo Lucero, who was dents of the area joined them, as did fore the end of the year. Meanwhile, bent mayor Antonio Villaraigosa of stabbed to death here in a racist anti- immigrant rights activists. Protesters Continued on page 11 Continued on page 3 immigrant lynching by a gang of also came from New York City, New youth November 8. Seven local high Jersey, and Connecticut. Simultane- school students have been arrested for ously, residents in Lucero’s hometown Saturday, November 22 the crime. of Gualaceo, Ecuador, also gathered, Lucero, 38, worked as a presser at some listening to the speeches here The Crisis Has Barely Begun! a dry cleaning shop. Construction Continued on page 4 ... and workers’ fight to end the wages system is posed Jack Barnes Venezuelan publisher launches National Secretary of the Socialist Workers Party Reaching to the World booklet on U.S. class struggle Workers and Oppressed Nations Unite! BY PATRICK BROWN lishing house Monte Avila. A Spanish- CARACAS, Venezuela—“We have language edition of the pamphlet has Mary-Alice Waters hope—not an illusion, fantasy, or been published by Monte Avila for dis- Editor of New International magazine and Our History Is dream, but soundly based hope—that tribution in Venezuela and 1,000 copies Still Being Written, recently returned from Equatorial Guinea an organized people can achieve a revo- of a special printing of it were distrib- lution,” said Carolina Alvarez. uted free to book fair participants. s Robert Treat Hotel Ballroom s Alvarez was speaking November 14 Is Socialist Revolution in the U.S. 50 Park Place, Newark, New Jersey at a presentation during the Venezuela Possible? addresses the topic that was Centrally located across from the New Jersey Performing Arts Center International Book Fair on the pamphlet debated by more than 20 speakers dur- 10-minute walk from Penn Station; Free shuttle service available Is Socialist Revolution in the U.S. Possi- ing the Central Forum at the 2007 Ven- — new time — ble? The pamphlet answers “yes” to the ezuela book fair. That rolling discussion Reception 2 p.m.— Program 3 p.m. question posed in its title. “I believe that spanned several days. The pamphlet is is an important message,” said Alvarez, based on the contribution of Pathfinder Dinner, refreshments, talk, & party 7 p.m. editorial director of the Venezuelan pub- Continued on page 9 $20 for program, $20 for dinner and dance, $35 for both — Sunday, November 23 — 1 week to go in Also Inside: at 307 W. 36th Street, 10th floor north, Manhattan 10 a.m. Discussion on Saturday’s presentations with youth and workers ‘Militant’ drive N.Y. students discuss gov’t interested in the program of the Young Socialists and Socialist Workers Party, frame-up cases 2 led by Steve Clark, Socialist Workers Party National Committee to win readers Japanese from Latin America BY ANGEL LARISCY 1 p.m. Meeting of the Young Socialists demand redress from U.S. gov’t 3 Noon Join Militant sales teams for final week of subscription campaign With one week to go about 400 sub- 8:30 a.m.–1 p.m. Meeting of supporters of the communist movement scriptions are needed in the campaign Thousands in Uruguay rally to win 2,400 new and long-term read- for abortion rights 4 (at the Robert Treat Hotel Crystal Ballroom) ers to the Militant. Supporters of the so- Sponsored by the New York and Newark Socialist Workers Party and Young Socialists cialist weekly are stepping up teams to Court upholds U.S. gov’t campuses, working-class communities, For more information: (212) 736-2540 or (973) 481-0077 restrictions on study in Cuba 5 Spanish and French translation will be provided and political events, as well as calling Continued on page 3 N.Y. students discuss 3 gov’t frame-up cases BY seth galinsky Metropolitan University. While there NEW YORK—Supporters of Troy an acquaintance stayed at his apart- Davis, Syed Fahad Hashmi, and five ment. The government claims that Cuban revolutionaries unjustly held in this person stored luggage with pon- U.S. jails spoke about these frame-up chos and socks at Hashmi’s apartment cases to 35 students attending a meet- that was later given to al-Qaeda. ing at Hunter College November 13. “They charged my brother with ma- The event, titled “Oppose Attacks terial support to terrorism,” Hashmi on Democratic Rights!” was cospon- said. “They put him in solitary con- sored by the Muslim Student Associa- finement and for the past 18 months tion and the Young Socialists. have not even allowed him to receive Militant/Seth Galinsky Alice Stark, a volunteer with the books.” Panel discussion at Hunter College in Manhattan on fight for democratic rights. From left to New York City chapter of Amnesty Martín Koppel, a staff volunteer right: Martín Koppel, Militant newspaper; Alice Stark, Amnesty International; Faisal Hashmi, Muslim Student Association (MSA); and Faisal Rusho, MSA president. International, walked through the de- with the Militant newspaper, spoke tails of the frame-up of Davis, who is about the case of Gerardo Hernández, on frame-up charges of “conspiracy to sues, or immigrant issues, or Black Black and has been on death row in Ramón Labañino, Antonio Guer- commit espionage.” They are known rights and racism issues,” Koppel ex- Georgia since 1991 when he was 21 rero, Fernando González, and René internationally as the Cuban Five. plained. “These frame-up cases and years old. He was accused of killing González, who were arrested in 1998 “These are not solely Muslim is- Continued on page 4 an off-duty Savannah, Georgia, cop in August 1989. Seven of nine witnesses have recanted, including at least two Syrian gov’t seeks talks with Washington, Tel Aviv who said they were pressured by the BY Cindy jaquith high-level talks between Syria and sev- Damascus and Tel Aviv opened nego- cops to finger Davis, said Stark, yet Since U.S. helicopters attacked a Syr- eral imperialist powers. tiations in May. Israel had bombed a site the courts have refused to grant him ian village near the Iraqi border Octo- French president Nicholas Sarkozy in Syria said to be a nuclear facility in a new trial. ber 26, killing eight, Syrian president went to Damascus in September to September 2007. The talks were broken On three different occasions world- Bashar al-Assad continues to pursue discuss, among other matters, renew- off this year when Israeli prime minister wide protests were successful in win- accommodation with Washington, and ing negotiations between Syria and Is- Ehud Olmert announced his resignation ning three stays of scheduled execu- through that, with Israel. rael. U.S. secretary of state Condoleezza due to corruption charges. tion of Davis, Stark said. The United Syrian information officer Mohsen Rice met with her Syrian counterpart, Al-Assad reportedly wants the talks to States Court of Appeals for the 11th Bilal stated November 5 that he hoped Walid Moallem, two months ago. Brit- be brokered by Washington and is wait- Circuit in Atlanta issued the most re- the election of Barack Obama as U.S. ish foreign secretary David Miliband ing to resume them when the Obama cent stay while it decides whether or president would “change U.S. foreign arrived in Syria November 17 for talks administration takes office. not to grant Davis a new hearing. policy from a policy of war and siege to with President al-Assad. The Syrian regime’s main goal is “Fahad is my younger brother,” one of diplomacy and dialogue.” Obama Washington has long claimed the Israeli withdrawal from the Golan Faisal Hashmi told the meeting. “He has already sent adviser Robert Malley Syrian regime allows al-Qaeda fighters Heights, which have been occupied by was a community organizer from a to meet with Syrian government offi- to operate on its territory and to enter Tel Aviv since 1967. The Israeli govern- Muslim perspective, unapologetic in cials, according to an article by Michael Iraq through its borders. ment wants Damascus to end its support his belief in his religion.” Rubin of the conservative American Under pressure from the Bush ad- for the Palestinian group Hamas and After graduating from Brook- Enterprise Institute for Public Policy ministration Damascus has reduced al- Hezbollah in Lebanon and to break its lyn College in 2003, Fahad Hashmi Research. Qaeda infiltration into Iraq from Syria ties to the government of Iran. moved to England to study at London In recent months, there have been since 2003. U.S. officials estimate al- Meanwhile, Turkish prime minister Qaeda crossings into Iraq have fallen by Recep Tayyip Erdogan—who brought 80 percent in the last year, according to together Tel Aviv and Damascus for their a Time magazine report. most recent round of negotiations—has The U.S. raid October 26 killed a volunteered to mediate talks between leader of al-Qaeda in Iraq but also sev- Washington and Tehran. eral Syrian construction workers, pro- The Iranian regime of Mahmoud Ah- voking anger among working people. madinejad sent a letter congratulating Legacy of imperialism in Congo Al-Assad permitted some protest dem- Obama on his election, the first such let- onstrations, a rarity in a country that ter to be sent by Tehran since the 1979 The ‘Militant’ explains has been under martial law since 1963. Iranian revolution. Asked at a news con- the real history of colo- But the only punitive measure the re- ference about the letter, Obama replied, nialism in Congo and how gime took against the U.S. government “Iran’s development of a nuclear weap- UN troops in Africa today was to expel all foreign employees of on I believe is unacceptable. We have to the American Language Center and the mount an international effort to prevent continue to serve the in- American Cultural Center. that from happening.” terests of Washington and

other imperialist powers. address. Don’t miss a single issue! The Militant Africa, Asia, and the Middle East: For Vol. 72/No. 47 one year send $85 drawn on a U.S. bank to UN troops in Congo June 2008 Closing news date: November 19, 2008 above address. Editor: Sam Manuel Canada: For one year send Canadian $45 to the Militant, 7105 St. Hubert, Suite 106F, Managing Editor: Martín Koppel, Montreal, Quebec. H2S 2N1. Business Manager: Angel Lariscy United Kingdom: Send £25 for one year Editorial volunteers: Róger Calero, by check or international money order SUBSCRIBE TODAY! Ved Dookhun, Seth Galinsky, Cindy made out to CL London, First Floor, 120 Jaquith, Ben Joyce, Doug Nelson, Ben Bethnal Green (Entrance in Brick Lane), O’Shaughnessy London, E2 6DG, England. NEW READERS Published weekly except for one week in Republic of Ireland and Continental NAME January and one week in July. Europe: Send £50 for one year by check or The Militant (ISSN 0026-3885), 306 W. international money order made out to CL 37th Street, 10th floor, New York, NY .$5 for 12 issues ADDRESS London at above address. 10018. Telephone: (212) 244-4899 France: Send 76 euros for one year to Fax: (212) 244-4947 Diffusion du Militant, P.O. Box 175, 23 rue RENEWAL CITY STATE ZIP E-mail: [email protected] Lecourbe, 75015 Paris. Website: www.themilitant.com Sweden, Finland, Norway, Denmark: Correspondence concerning subscriptions Send 400 Swedish kronor for one year to .$10 for 12 weeks PHONE e-mail or changes of address should be addressed Bildhuggarvägen 17, 12144 Johanneshov, to the Militant, 306 W. 37th Street, 10th Stockholm, Sweden. .$20 for 6 months UNION/SCHOOL/ORGANIZATION floor, New York, NY 10018. New Zealand: Send NZ$50 for one year to Periodicals postage paid at New York, NY. P.O. Box 3025, Auckland, New Zealand. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Australia: Send A$50 for one year to P.O. .$35 for 1 year Clip and mail to the militant, 306 W. 37th st., 10th Floor new york, ny 10018. the Militant, 306 W. 37th Street, 10th floor, Box 164 Campsie, NSW 2194, Australia. New York, NY 10018. Pacific Islands: Send NZ$50 for one year 12 weeks of the Militant outside the U.S.: Australia and the Pacific, A$8 • United SUBSCRIPTIONS: United States: For to P.O. Box 3025, Auckland, New Zealand. Kingdom, £3 • Canada, Can$6 • Caribbean and Latin America, US$10 • Continental one year send $35 to above address. Signed articles by contributors do not Europe, £9 • France, 12 Euros • New Zealand, NZ$7 • Sweden, Kr60 • All other areas, Latin America, Caribbean: For one year necessarily represent the Militant’s views. US$16 (Send payment to addresses listed in business information box) send $85, drawn on a U.S. bank, to above These are expressed in editorials.

2 The Militant December 1, 2008 Socialist for L.A. mayor Continued from front page The SWP candidate pointed to the the Democratic Party and more than a way in which the financial crisis is af- dozen other candidates. The Republican fecting the pensions of workers, from Party is not running anyone against him the decline in the value of 401(k)s to the in this formally “nonpartisan” election. crisis facing the California Public Em- Harris addressed the deepening eco- ployees’ Retirement System, known as nomic crisis facing working people at Calpers. The nation’s largest public pen- a meeting of supporters celebrating the sion fund, Calpers recently lost 35 per- successful completion of the petition cent of its value due to investments in campaign. Official unemployment in real estate. the Los Angeles area is 7.9 percent and “My campaign is pointing to the need it is estimated that 200,000 Californians for working people to take power out of will run out of unemployment benefits the hands of the capitalist class, which by the end of the year. has nothing but catastrophe in store The economic crisis will force many for us through the workings of their workers “to think and act differently system,” said Harris. “If I am elected than most of us ever thought we would,” mayor of Los Angeles the first thing I said Harris. “We will learn to see that will do is propose legislation to shorten Militant/Arlene Rubinstein economic problems such as getting a James Harris, Socialist Workers Party candidate for mayor of Los Angeles, participates in the workweek with no cut in take-home job, low pay, paying the rent, homeless- Los Angeles rally against Proposition 8, which banned gay marriage. ness, and affording health care and edu- pay and launch a massive program of a huge interest in the trains and buses in A statement distributed by the social- cation are not just personal problems, public works at union-scale wages to the area. It provided $1 billion in loans ist campaign said, “The unity of work- but they are problems we face as a class. build homes, schools, hospitals, roads, to finance a scheme where the transit ers and those who fight for social justice And we will have to learn to face them bridges, and public transportation. I will agencies sold buses and trains to inves- can be the most powerful weapon we as a class. also propose emergency legislation to tors and then leased them back. AIG have in confronting growing unemploy- “Working people will have to learn halt home foreclosures.” also collected fees from the transit au- ment and home foreclosures, as well how to build unions that can fight in our The 1.5 million people who ride the thorities to “insure” that the investors’ as Washington’s continued wars in Af- interests, that the Democratic and Re- buses and trains each day in Los Ange- lease payments would be paid on time. ghanistan, Iraq, and the surrounding publican parties cannot and will not rep- les County could soon face serious cuts Now that AIG’s credit ratings are down, region. Proposition 8 promotes division resent us, and that working people need in service and fare hikes, said Harris. the transit authorities have to find a new and opens the door to increased violent our own political party that can enter the AIG, the giant insurance company that firm to guarantee the deals or rapidly re- attacks against gays.” political arena fighting for us.” was granted federal bailout money, has imburse investors. The statement pointed to the example Harris and campaign supporters par- set by immigrant workers and their al- ticipated in a demonstration of 12,000 at lies who “successfully pushed back re- ‘Militant’ drive, final week City Hall earlier in the day to protest the actionary legislation aimed at victimiz- Continued from front page at the University of Minnesota on Our passage of Proposition 8 in the Novem- ing them and making them a permanent readers to urge them to renew their sub- History Is Still Being Written: The Story ber elections. Proposition 8 changed the second-class section of society when scriptions. of Three Chinese-Cuban Generals in California constitution to deny the right they marched in their millions on May Promoters of the paper in Montreal the Cuban Revolution. In the last three of couples of the same sex to marry. Day 2006.” ordered extra copies to sell at the No- weeks, 15 subscriptions to the socialist vember 22–24 Salon du Livre book fair press have been sold at literature tables in that city. helping to build the meeting, reports Japanese from Latin America In Twin Cities, socialist workers have Rollande Girard. been building a November 19 meeting Distributors of the Militant in New- ark, New Jersey, sold 17 demand redress from U.S. gov’t subscriptions going door- BY Arlene Rubinstein businesses, and homes of Japanese ‘Militant‘ Subscription Drive to-door in predominantly LOS ANGELES—The U.S. gov- Latin Americans. “My family’s busi- Fall 2008 ♦ Sept. 27 – Nov. 23 Black working-class com- ernment organized the abduction and ness and its bank accounts were seized munities over the November incarceration during World War II of by the Peruvian government,” said Week 7 of 8 15–16 weekend. They are nearly 2,300 Japanese living in Latin Watanabe. The Peruvian government America. Their fight for justice was refused to let Shibayama, Watanabe, Country Quota Sold % organizing more teams dur- ing the week and on Sunday, discussed at a program held at the and hundreds of other Japanese Peru- UNITED STATES November 23. Workers are University of California, Los Angeles vians return after World War II. Miami 160 151 94% interested in discussing how (UCLA) on November 13. The pro- “To get out of the camp, you needed a Houston* 100 93 93% to confront the effects of the gram was hosted by the Campaign for sponsor. So I went to work for Seabrook Seattle 80 74 93% deepening economic crisis Justice: Redress Now for Japanese Lat- Farms, a frozen food company, work- Twin Cities, MN** 155 142 92% and want to read a paper that in Americans and by Nikkei for Civil ing rotating shifts 12 hours a day,” said Newark, NJ 125 111 89% explains the struggles and Rights and Redress. Campus sponsors Shibayama. In 1944, Seabrook Farms San Francisco 140 124 89% fights worldwide to combat included the UCLA Asian American began recruiting Japanese Americans Philadelphia 90 76 84% its impact. Studies Center, Asian American Stud- and those from Latin America impris- Atlanta 250 208 83% Carole Lesnick writes that ies Department, Chicano/a Studies oned in U.S. concentration camps to Des Moines, IA 125 104 83% five subscriptions were sold Center, and Nikkei Student Union. work in its southern New Jersey plant, to carpenters in San Fran- Art Shibayama was 13 when U.S. sol- employing 3,000 Japanese as farm and Boston 60 48 80% cisco who recently won a diers came to his home in Callao, Peru, factory workers. Los Angeles 100 80 80% victory against the bosses’ and arrested his father in March 1944. Shigueru Tsuha, a graduate student New York 315 253 80% attempt to block their right “My family was put on a U.S. military at University of California, Riverside Chicago 100 76 76% to protest unsafe working transport ship with other Japanese Pe- and an activist in the Campaign for Washington, D.C. 95 72 76% conditions. Militant support- ruvian families,” Shibayama told the 35 Justice, urged participants to join the Other 8 ers in San Francisco sold participants in the meeting. “Twenty- effort to win justice for Japanese Latin U.S. Total 1,895 1,620 85% six subscriptions at a protest one days later we were in Crystal City, Americans. “This is connected to the against passage of Proposi- Texas, in a concentration camp. We fight for immigrant rights, which the CANADA 125 82 66% tion 8, which denies couples were brought here at gunpoint but they U.S. government has a history of vio- of the same sex the right to called us illegal aliens,” he said. lating. When we win, it will be a victo- UNITED KINGDOM marry in California. Seattle Like Shibayama, Hector Watanabe ry for all of us and help educate about Edinburgh 40 42 105% and Philadelphia supporters was incarcerated in Crystal City. “Our a living history,” he explained. London 80 75 94% of the paper found a good civil rights were violated. Why did the The Campaign for Justice is fighting UK Total 120 117 98% response at similar actions Japanese emigrate to Peru? For work— for the passage of the “Commission on in their cities, selling six and they were not guilty of any crimes. We Wartime Relocation and Internment of NEW ZEALAND* 85 82 96% three subscriptions, respec- were hostages,” Watanabe told the Latin Americans of Japanese Descent AUSTRALIA* 65 58 89% tively. meeting. In addition to being incar- Act.” Most Japanese Latin Americans Because of the Thanksgiv- cerated along with 112,000 people of were excluded from the 1988 Civil Lib- SWEDEN* 35 29 83% ing holiday, the final chart for Japanese descent living in the United erties Act, which awarded $20,000 and the subscription drive will States, Japanese Latin Americans a letter of apology to Japanese Ameri- Int’l Totals 2,325 1,988 86% appear in issue number 49. were shipped to Japan as part of an ex- cans interned during World War II. In Should be 2,400 2,100 88% All subscriptions received by change for U. S. prisoners of war. 1998 the Department of Justice gave Monday, December 1, will As in the United States, authorities about 600 Japanese Latin Americans a * Raised quota **Raised quota twice be counted in the final tally. in Peru took control of bank accounts, token $5,000 settlement.

The Militant December 1, 2008 3 Thousands in Uruguay rally for abortion rights BY Doug Nelson “The demand began with the femi- A few thousand people, mostly nist organizations and has become a young women, converged on the Pla- popular demand of the citizenry,” she za de Cagancha in Montevideo, the told the Militant. capital of Uruguay, November 14 to “We have been explaining that ac- protest President Tabaré Vázquez’s cess to abortion is a question of pub- veto the day before of a bill decrimi- lic health,” Abracinskas said. “People nalizing abortion. with resources have access, while those The Sexual and Reproductive Health without resources don’t. But they should law, which allows women to have an have access so it can be done under san- abortion during the first 12 weeks of itary conditions. It’s also a question of pregnancy, passed the Senate Novem- democracy and human rights, of repro- ber 11 by a vote of 17 out of 30. ductive and sexual rights.” A week earlier, the Chamber of An estimated 33,000 abortions are Representatives passed the bill by a performed each year in Uruguay, a country of less than 3.5 million, ac- CNS Mujeres one-vote margin. Protest at Plaza de Cagancha in Montevideo, Uruguay, November 14 against veto by President Catholic bishops in Uruguay threat- cording to government figures. Other Tabaré Vázquez of bill to decriminalize abortion in the first trimester of pregnancy. ened to excommunicate any legislator sources estimate the real figure is who voted for the bill. About 47 per- more than double that. only Cuba allows abortions without The governments of Chile, El Sal- cent of the population is Catholic. The General Assembly has 30 days restriction, according to the Center vador, and Nicaragua recently made In Uruguay abortion is illegal, al- to overturn the veto by a three-fifths for Reproductive Rights. The govern- abortion a punishable crime in all cas- though not punishable in cases of rape majority vote—60 out of 99 in the ment of Guyana allows unrestricted es, including when necessary to save or when the mother’s life is in danger. Chamber of Representatives and 19 abortions for up to eight weeks. Most the mother’s life. Two other countries President Vázquez, a longtime leader of 30 in the Senate. countries in the region allow abor- in the region, Haiti and Honduras, of the Socialist Party, made clear as far Of all countries in South America, tion only in cases of rape or when the have had total bans on abortion for back as 2005 when he was elected pres- Central America, and the Caribbean, mother’s life is in danger. some time. ident on the Broad Front ticket that he supports a total ban on abortions. The Broad Front is a coalition that includes, 2,000 in N.Y. protest killing of immigrant among others, the Socialist, Commu- Continued from front page for three years and has never gotten provide medical care to immigrant nist, and Christian Democratic parties. via cell phone. a raise. Rafael does not receive over- workers injured on the job. Daphne Six Broad Front national legislators Patchogue is located in Suffolk time pay regardless of how many Irizarry of the Long Island Teachers took part in the November 14 protest. County, Long Island, notorious for hours he puts in. “We need a union,” Association and Lucius Ware, repre- The Uruguayan president said he the anti-immigrant policies of gov- he said. senting the East Long Island NAACP, opposed the law on the basis that life ernment officials. Suffolk County Ex- Armando, an unemployed con- also spoke. begins at conception and that the law ecutive Steve Levy, a Democrat, has struction worker from Bensonhurst, Lucero’s brother Joselo and a host would bring more abortions, as it has pushed through laws barring land- Brooklyn, came to the vigil on a of Ecuadoran organizations addressed in other countries where abortion laws lords from renting to workers with- bus organized by several Ecuadoran the rally. The Ecuadoran consul-gen- were relaxed. out papers, contractors from hiring groups. He is active in Proyecto de eral has called for prosecutors to up- According to a recent poll in the employees who do not have work au- Trabajadores Latinoamericanos (Lat- grade charges against Jeffrey Conroy, country, 63 percent oppose the pres- thorization, and restrictions on where in American Workers Project). Many accused of stabbing Lucero, from ident’s veto. day laborers may gather to seek work. undocumented workers, he said, are first-degree manslaughter as a hate Women’s rights activists in Uru- Levy initially told Newsday that Lu- not even paid minimum wage. crime to second-degree murder. The guay have been fighting for abortion cero’s killing was getting blown out of The lynching of Lucero “is outra- other six youth are charged with gang rights since the end of the military proportion because the media wanted geous,” said Elbidio Molina, who assault. dictatorship in 1985, explained Lilian to slander his administration. In any came with 20 other janitors belong- New York State Senate minority Abracinskas, executive coordinator other county, he said, the murder ing to Local 32BJ of the Service Em- leader Malcolm Smith spoke, urg- of CNS Mujeres, the women’s rights would be “a one-day story.” He later ployees International Union. A fellow ing “swift action against those that coalition that organized the protest. had to apologize. union member in the delegation added committed this crime.” Patchogue At the vigil many people waved that “being African American, we’ve mayor Paul Pontieri also appeared. signs calling for “Justicia para Mar- been through this.” As he started speaking many work- Women and the celo” (Justice for Marcelo). One man A broad speakers platform at the ers chanted “Justicia!” and “Crimi- Cuban Revolution held a sign saying, “Not a one-day vigil reflected the deep opposition the nales!” (Criminals). Pontieri sought Fidel Castro, Vilma Espín, others story.” An Ecuadoran stood on the killing has provoked. A young con- to dampen the crowd’s militancy, say- struction worker, and member of the ing, “Yes, it’s true this is for justice. Central leaders of roof of a house with a huge sign read- the Cuban Revolu- ing, “Crimes of hate in Suffolk are the glaziers union in Manhattan, spoke But we also have to see ourselves as a tion present the road fruits of Steve Levy.” about the abuses immigrant workers community.” forward in the fight The government’s attacks on immi- face in that industry and the impor- The Long Island Immigrant Alli- for the emancipation grant workers has emboldened rightist tance of labor solidarity with them. ance has called for another demon- of women. The revo- forces in this county. In 2000 two day Arturo Vilches from the Workplace stration at the Suffolk County legis- lutionary victory, said laborers were offered a job in the near- Project addressed the crowd, not- lature building in nearby Hauppauge Fidel Castro in 1966, by town of Farmingville and taken to ing the refusal of many employers to December 2. “has meant a double an isolated location where two racists liberation” for women, “who were beat them within inches of their lives. discriminated against not only as In 2003 a Mexican family’s home in workers but also as women.” Farmingville was firebombed. Students discuss frame-ups —$16 Fernando Lucero, no relation to Continued from page 2 al prisons across the country and, like Marcelo, works as a framer in con- attacks on democratic rights are a Fahad, when they were first arrested Abortion Is a struction. Interviewed at the vigil, he threat to all working people.” they were placed in solitary confine- Woman’s Right! said immigrants are frequently subject “The case of the Cuban Five is an ment, but the attempt to break their By Pat Grogan to verbal harassment on the streets. example of how the government as- spirits failed,” Koppel said. Rafael, a landscaper from Ecuador saults the rights of working people,” The frame-up cases along with oth- Why abortion rights are who asked that his full name not be Koppel said. “The FBI spied on them er attacks on workers rights, such as central not only to the used, said that landlords charge im- for years, tapped their phones, broke the Patriot Act, the death penalty, and fight for the emancipa- migrants who can’t produce docu- into their homes, recorded their con- immigration raids, have been carried tion of women, but to ments hundreds of dollars more for versations, seized personal corre- out with the support of both the Dem- forging a united and rent. The housing is filthy, he added. spondence, and took files from their ocrats and Republicans, he noted. fighting labor movement. His tiny daughter pulled at his sleeve computers. Koppel encouraged students to (Also available in and yelled, “Tell her about the rats!” “During the trial the government join the “resistance and protests that Spanish) “Anything you try to do is a prob- presented secret evidence that they have already begun to the growing —$5 lem,” Rafael said, “buying a car, go- refused to allow the defense to see,” economic crisis of capitalism,” along ing to the hospital.” The bosses also Koppel stated. with speaking out against the frame- abuse undocumented immigrants. He After the five were convicted “they ups of Davis, Hashmi, and the Cuban www.pathfinderpress.com has worked for the same company were dispersed to five different feder- Five. 4 The Militant December 1, 2008 Teamsters strike trucking company in Northwest By Edwin Fruit health benefits and whether the workers Auburn, Washington—Some 600 should remain in the Teamsters’ spon- truckers, members of the International sored medical plan. Brotherhood of Teamsters, have been Workers have been following scabs to on strike since September 22 against where they are making pickups or deliv- Oak Harbor Freight Lines. The strike eries and picketing the Oak Harbor driv- is at terminals in Washington, Oregon, ers. Replacement drivers are being sup- and Idaho. plied by Modern Staffing and Security. The union has filed unfair labor prac- On October 21, supporters of the strike tices charges against the company, say- unfurled a huge banner on the face of a ing it used “intimidation” to influence building of the Gap headquarters in San workers to accept its contract terms. The Francisco. It said, “Don’t Harbor Oak union has been working under a pact Harbor’s Retiree’s Abuses.” The truck- that expired in September 2007. ing company transports merchandise Militant/Dean Peoples Company spokesman Mike Hobby for the Gap on the West Coast. Teamsters picket Oak Harbor Freight Lines terminal in Auburn, Washington, November 5. denied the unfair practices charges, say- ing Oak Harbor Trucking would use employees who choose to work and re- placement employees where necessary, Moroccan fights ‘terror’ frame-up in Canada reported the Portland Business Journal. BY JOHN STEELE the audience the GPS tracking bracelet Service applied its profile of an al-Qa- According to the Seattle Post Intelli- MONTREAL—Adil Charkaoui, an he is forced to wear. eda sleeper agent to me,” he said. “If you gencer, Hobby said that 177 of the strik- immigrant from Morocco living in Can- Charkaoui has lived in Canada since are an Arab, young, married with kids, ers had returned to work. Dan Jurpik, ada, is fighting an attempt by Ottawa to emigrating from Morocco in 1995. In have a university degree, and have trav- who has worked for 14-and-a-half years deport him. May 2003 he was arrested on his way eled, you fit its profile.” at Oak Harbor, said the union counts 70 He is one of five Muslim men jailed to the University of Montreal where he “CSIS has never asked me about what workers or so at the 17 terminals who for years and threatened with deporta- was studying for a master’s degree. With I did, only about what I think,” he said. have crossed the picket line of the 578 tion under a federal immigration “secu- great media fanfare he was declared a Charkaoui has denied any connection on strike. According to the union, if the rity certificate.” This legislation allows threat to national security and jailed for with terrorists and has demanded he National Labor Relations Board rules in indefinite detention of “terror suspects” almost two years, while the government face specific charges and be given a fair the union’s favor all the striking workers who don’t hold Canadian citizenship. began proceedings to deport him. trial. Under the security-certificate sec- will have to be rehired. “Today it’s me, tomorrow it could be In February 2005, a public campaign tion of the immigration law, no charges Workers on the picket line at the com- you,” Charkaoui told 60 students at an led by his family resulted in his release are required and all proceedings are pany’s main terminal here said some of October 27 public forum at McGill Uni- on bail. But he is still threatened with held in secret. Charkaoui and the other the issues to be resolved in a new con- versity. Currently released on bail under deportation. men facing deportation do not have the tract include termination of retirees’ stringent conditions, Charkaoui showed “The Canadian Security Intelligence right to see any of the “evidence” used to back up the certificate. “I have learned that behind the beau- Court upholds U.S. restrictions on study in Cuba tiful phrases about Canada and Cana- dian justice there is hypocrisy,” he said. BY seth galinsky students from choosing to study in Cuba and that had nothing to do with aca- “The racial profiling used against me Upholding a component of Wash- did not violate academic freedom. demic freedom,” Smith said. is the same mentality used by police in ington’s travel ban against Cuba, a U.S. The court noted that no university “The federal court did not look at Montreal North.” A Latino youth was appeals court rejected a lawsuit Novem- joined the lawsuit against the rules. the fact that there had been no abuses. shot and killed by police there recently, ber 4 challenging federal regulations In a November 7 telephone inter- It said: if the government thinks these triggering community protests and po- that restrict study by U.S. residents in view, Wayne Smith, a professor of rules are important then that’s all there lice repression. Cuba. Latin American studies at Johns Hop- is to it.” Charkaoui reported he has the support The restrictions, issued in 2004 as kins University and one of the plain- Félix Masud-Piloto, history professor of the Quebec Federation of Labor, Con- part of a tightening of the U.S. embar- tiffs in the suit, said, “The case is quite at DePaul University in Chicago, said federation of National Trade Unions, go of Cuba, make it illegal to study in simple. They changed the rules. Until in a November 10 phone interview that several New Democratic Party and Bloc Cuba unless the class program is at least 2004 we could take people down for “some members of the DePaul faculty Québécois members of Parliament, and 10 weeks long. intersession courses and it worked had lectured at the University of Ha- civil liberties organizations. The federal regulations also limit li- very well. vana. We had a group of about 30 stu- He urged those present to get out the censes for study programs in Cuba to “The government claimed there had dents ready to go to Cuba again when truth about his fight and the fight to abol- institutions issuing graduate or under- been ‘flagrant’ abuse, that people were the new rules were implemented. The ish the security-certificate law. For more graduate degrees. Students must be en- going down to Cuba to spend money course had to be called off.” information, visit www.adilinfo.org. rolled full-time and only in programs offered by the school they attend in the United States. The rules require that 25, 50, and 75 years ago those teaching the courses be full-time professors. Prior to 2004, hundreds of U.S. uni- versities organized short courses be- tween semesters, making it possible for students to study in Cuba without ad- December 2, 1983 December 1, 1958 November 25, 1933 justing their regular course programs. Since the smashing of PATCO, the air The personal tragedies that follow New York—The Hotel and Res- Today, because of the rules, only a traffic controllers’ union, by the federal the economic swings of capitalism are taurant Workers Union is laying the handful of schools offer study-abroad government in 1981, there has been an many. necessary machinery to cope with programs in Cuba. They include the obvious, indeed urgent, need for solidar- But when union men and women, in any emergency that the Hotel Men’s University of North Carolina, Harvard ity with workers whose unions are under the absence of a militant union leader- Association and the Restaurant University, American University, and attack by the corporate owners and their ship, begin to fight each other for jobs, Men’s Association are trying to force Sarah Lawrence College. government. the tragedy is compounded. This is through the NRA [National Recovery The Emergency Coalition to Defend The strike forced by Greyhound Corp. happening in one of the most powerful Administration], which only plays a Educational Travel, which represents on its 12,700 workers who belong to the unions in the country, the United Steel scabbing role against the food work- some 400 professors, filed a lawsuit in Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) is a Workers of America. ers. 2006 challenging the guidelines as a well-prepared and deadly union-busting Demanding that older workers retire, On November 16, the local com- violation of academic freedom. assault on yet another major union in the members of Local 1187 carried signs pliance board of the NRA ruled that In its ruling the U.S. Court of Ap- transportation industry. Under the guise that read, “We got you your pensions— the waiters’ wages must be abolished peals for the District of Columbia Cir- of federal “deregulation,” transporta- why don’t you retire?” and the gratuities of the public should cuit stated that the U.S. government has tion workers have been forced to make There is an answer to unemployment. be considered a sufficient amount of the right to pursue a goal of “nudging huge concessions in wages and working The demand for a shorter work week money to cover the $15 weekly mini- Cuba toward a peaceful transition from conditions to increase their employers’ with no reduction in pay could spread mum for waiters. the oppressive policies of the Castro re- profits. work among all the men who need and Our Union protested vigorously gime to a free and democratic society.” Clearly, Greyhound chairman John want jobs. If the union officials do not against this infamous ruling and suc- It insisted the federal restrictions were Teets underestimated their determina- organize for such a struggle, the union ceeded in forcing the local NRA to “content neutral” and that preventing tion to fight for their dignity. movement will not survive. rescind their former decision.

The Militant December 1, 2008 5 Behind prison bars, Cuban 5 proud of defending revolution BY martín koppel daughters: Ailí, 20; Laura, 16; and Liz- and Hope, a book of (Fifth in a series) beth, 12. correspondence be- An article in last week’s issue gave As with his four imprisoned com- tween the Cuban Five biographical sketches of Gerardo rades, when Labañino moved to the and their families. Hernández and Antonio Guerrero, two United States in the early 1990s, he In the United States, of the five Cuban revolutionaries who could not tell close family members González’s main task for 10 years have been unjustly held in about his assignment, not even when in was to keep CIA- U.S. jails. The five men, arrested by the 1998 he visited his critically ill mother, trained counterrevolu- FBI in 1998 and convicted on frame-up knowing he wouldn’t see her again. His tionary Orlando Bosch charges ranging from “conspiracy to father, Holmes Labañino, said, “I nev- under surveillance. Fernando González serving in Angola as an internationalist commit espionage” to “conspiracy to er knew of the work he was doing. He Bosch, who still walks volunteer from 1987 to 1989. commit murder,” are currently serving never talked to me about it and I never free in the streets of Mi- long sentences in five different federal asked. Since he was very young he has ami, was implicated in the 1976 bomb- Friday afternoon, pedaled several ki- prisons. The following outlines the sto- always known what to do and has al- ing of a Cuban airliner over Barbados lometers to find the two officials who ry of who the other three working-class ways done the right thing.” that killed all 73 passengers and crew could give him the necessary forms and fighters are and what they have accom- Labañino told the courtroom on the members. signatures. He got the signatures. And plished. day of his sentencing, “I will wear the González’s mother Magali Llort, who early on Monday he left for Angola.” A prison uniform with the same honor is also active as a revolutionary in Cuba, gunner in a tank brigade, he served in Ramón Labañino Salazar and pride with which a soldier wears describes her son as “a typical Cuban.” Angola until 1979, and was decorated Labañino, 45, was born into a peas- his most prized insignia. This has been She says he is “a man with ideas that for bravery. ant family in Marianao, Havana Prov- a political trial; therefore, we are politi- have made him consistent, and with a One of his fellow Angola combatants, ince, on June 9, 1963. His mother Ne- cal prisoners.” loyalty to his country for which I think Luis Nieves Otaño, later recounted that reida was involved in support activities Labañino is serving a sentence of life we should always be thankful.” during their tour of duty, “the Cuban for the Rebel Army in the eastern prov- plus 18 years. Jailed for many years in In the statement he read before the government publicly released the iden- ince of Oriente during the revolutionary Beaumont, Texas, he is now locked up U.S. court just before being sentenced tities of several [Cuban state] security war. at the McCreary federal prison in Pine in December 2001, he accused the U.S. agents who had infiltrated the mafia- A student leader in high school, he Knot, Kentucky. government of backing counterrevo- like groups based in the United States. studied at the University of Havana, lutionary murderers who attack Cuba. After reading about it in a newspaper, graduating as an economist. He also Fernando González Llort “As long as the situation remains as I we commented on the courage of those studied at the university’s military González, 45, was born in Havana on have described it, Cuba has a moral comrades, and I told René, ‘You have school. In 1987 Labañino joined the Aug. 18, 1963. He was a student leader right to defend itself in the way that my the traits and the conditions to carry Union of Young Communists. The next in high school and college, as well as in comrades and I have done,” he stated. out such a mission.’ He immediately re- year he took up duties as an officer of the Union of Young Communists. He “I honestly was not surprised to see plied, ‘I hope so.’” the Ministry of the Interior. In 1991 he graduated with honors from the Raúl [Fernando’s] attitude” on learning about After his return from Angola, he fi- joined the Cuban Communist Party, in Roa García Higher Institute of Interna- his dignified conduct during the frame- nally completed his training as a pilot. which he held leadership responsibili- tional Relations. up trial, said Bladimir La Rosa Vega, He worked as a flight instructor until ties. González volunteered as a combatant one of his fellow Angola combatants, in 1985, when he was designated squad- A sports enthusiast, he practices ka- in Angola from 1987 to 1989. He was an interview in the Cuban press. ron chief at the air base in San Nicolás rate and as a student took part in the part of a tank battalion when Cuban González is serving a 19-year sen- de Bari. In 1990 he was accepted into tence. He is currently locked up in the All-Caribbean Games. He is married and Angolan troops defeated the South membership in the Cuban Communist federal prison in Terre Haute, Indiana. to Elizabeth Palmeiro, and has three African apartheid regime’s invading Party. That same year he accepted his forces at the battle of Cuito next mission in defense of the revolu- Cuanavale. For his role in René González Sehwerert tion—this time in the United States. combat he was awarded René González, 52, was born in Chi- In his statement to the U.S. court the medals “International- cago on Aug. 13, 1956. Like Antonio on his sentencing, he explained what ist Combatant” and “For the Guerrero, he is a U.S. citizen. His par- the five were doing in Florida. “This Victory of Cuba—People’s ents, Cándido González, a union steel- Republic of Angola.” In worker, and his mother Irma Sehwerert issue of Cuban agents has a very sim- 1988, during his tour of duty were active in the July 26 Movement ple solution: Leave Cuba alone. Do in Angola, he was taken into among Cuban immigrant workers. Af- your job. Respect the sovereignty of membership in the Cuban ter the 1959 revolutionary victory they the Cuban people,” he said. “I would Communist Party. remained in the United Stated to carry gladly say good-bye to every last spy González has been with out work in defense of the revolution. who returns to the island. We have his companion Rosa Au- In 1961 the family returned to Cuba, better things to do there, all of them rora Freijanes since 1990. where René’s parents became union a lot more constructive than watch- He then undertook his leaders. ing the criminals who freely walk the special assignment in the From an early age René González had streets of Miami.” United States. “We had to wanted to become a pilot, but had to put René González is serving a 15-year go through endless red tape off fulfilling his aspiration more than sentence at the U.S. prison in Marianna, Ramón Labañino (center) with two fellow prisoners in to marry in prison,” said once when the call of duty intervened. northern Florida. federal prison. Freijanes in Letters of Love After graduating from high school, as René and his wife Olga Salanueva a cadre of the Union of Young Commu- have two daughters, Irma, 24, and nists, he volunteered to work as a teacher Ivette, 10. Salanueva, who was living in the countryside. As a U.S. citizen he with him in Miami at the time of his ar- Write the five Cuban revolutionaries: was not required to enlist in the armed rest in 1998, was deported to Cuba in forces, but in 1974 he volunteered for 2000, her U.S. residency revoked. Since Gerardo Hernández, #58739-004, U.S.P. Victorville, P.O. military service. He completed it with then she has been denied a U.S. visa to Box 5500, Adelanto, CA 92301 high grades as a tank driver. visit her husband. In 1977, on his way to flight school, (To be continued) Antonio Guerrero, #58741-004, U.S.P. Florence, P.O. Box he learned that his former 7000, Florence, CO 81226 tank unit was going to Luis Medina (Ramón Labañino), #58734-004, U.S.P. Angola to join the inter- nationalist mission there. McCreary, P.O. Box 3000, Pine Knot, KY 42635 González decided to join (NOTE: the envelope must be addressed to “Luis Medina,” them. but address the letter inside to Ramón) Speaking at a 2003 meeting with youth from Rubén Campa (Fernando González), #58733-004, FCI the United States, his Terre Haute, P.O. Box 33, Terre Haute, IN 47808 mother Irma reported that (NOTE: the envelope must be addressed to “Rubén Campa,” at first René “was turned but address the letter inside to Fernando) down because he had just completed his military René González, #58738-004, FCI Marianna, P.O. Box 7007, service. He said, ‘I have Marianna, FL 32447-7007 to go to Angola.’ So he René González, with daughters Irma (right) and Ivette, hopped on his bike on a during prison visit October 2008. 6 The Militant December 1, 2008 Industrial working class at center of U.S. politics The communist movement’s response to labor’s increasing political weight The Socialist Workers Party is cel- the 1917 Russian Revolution founded ebrating its unbroken communist conti- the Communist Party in the United nuity on the occasion of the 80-year an- States, with an eye towards emulat- niversary of the Militant. Marking this ing the Russian Revolution’s example milestone, it has launched a nine-week in this country. During its formative $90,000 Party-Building Fund (see ac- years, the CP was a revolutionary orga- companying progress chart on the fund nization that attracted many of the best campaign). To promote this effort, we worker militants at the time. are running a series of articles that will highlight key chapters in the history of Counterrevolution in Soviet Union the fight to forge a revolutionary work- By the mid-1920s, however, the ing-class leadership. wave of revolutionary upheavals in other countries that followed the Rus- Militant photos: Susan LaMont (above), Mike Dreyer (right) BY ben joyce Above: United Mine Workers of America sian Revolution had been defeated. The rally to support striking miners in Carbo, “Of all the classes that stand face to worker Bolsheviks, forged in the party Virginia, September 1989. Right: United face with the bourgeoisie today, the pro- built by Vladimir Lenin, the central Food and Commercial Workers Local 789 letariat alone is a really revolutionary leader of the 1917 Russian Revolution, celebrates defeat of company attempts to class,” explains the opening section of were exhausted by the first world war decertify union at Dakota Premium Foods the Communist Manifesto, the founding and then the 1918–20 civil war. These in St. Paul, Minnesota, January 2008. objective conditions helped promote the League and other revolutionary-mind- in scope. This downward slide prompt- growth of petty-bourgeois, bureaucrat- ed forces in the succeeding years led to ed the bosses and their government to Communist ic layers in the Soviet government and the foundation of the Socialist Workers qualitatively accelerate their attacks on Communist Party, led by Joseph Stalin, Party in 1938. U.S. imperialism’s drive workers’ standard of living. mainly concerned with guaranteeing toward war in the late 1930s precipitated In light of this, the Socialist Workers Continuity their privileged positions and life style. a deep political fight within the SWP. A Party prepared itself for the opportuni- Stalin reversed Lenin’s revolutionary petty-bourgeois layer within the party ties that would come with the inevitable document of the modern communist internationalist course and replaced it bent to bourgeois pressure and rejected working-class resistance that the rul- movement. That fact remains true today with the narrow, nationalist perspective many of the party’s longstanding Marx- ing-class assaults would produce. In and is the foundation on which commu- of the bureaucratic caste in the govern- ist principles. They abandoned defense 1978, the SWP decided to initiate a turn nists carry out political work more than ment and party. He imposed a change of the Soviet Union against imperialist to the industrial unions, organizing the 150 years after Karl Marx and Freder- in the CPs around the world, transform- attack and rejected fundamental norms big majority of its members and lead- ick Engels wrote the Manifesto. ing them from organizations seeking to of party organization. ers to get jobs in industry and center The Socialist Workers Party acts on carry out socialist revolutions to instru- This layer split from the party in ear- their activity there and in the industrial this basis today, centering its politi- ments of Soviet foreign policy, carry- ly 1940. Though the split took a large unions. “Our turn has to do with what cal work within the industrial working ing out dictates from the Kremlin and number of members, the party emerged is changing in the American working class and its organizations. Throughout working to pressure their own capital- on a stronger proletarian footing. The class,” states the report adopted by the its history the SWP has fought to main- ist classes to accept Moscow’s offer of record of this political fight is contained party’s 1979 convention. “When our tain this proletarian orientation. collaboration to dampen workers’ resis- in the books The Struggle for a Prole- kind of party has the opportunity to go In 1919, working-class militants in tance. tarian Party by James P. Cannon and In to the weightiest and most powerfully the U.S. Socialist Party who rejected A minority within the CPs fought Defense of Marxism by Leon Trotsky. organized sections of our class and do the pro-imperialist war stance of the SP to maintain a genuine Marxist course. For the next few years the party con- political work, we have to do it.” leadership and were inspired instead by They were eventually expelled. In the tinued to focus its work in the industrial Since the party’s turn to industry, the United States, they went on to form the union movement. But over the course experience of the workers’ movement Communist League. of the following decades, industrial has illustrated its correctness. While The following decade brought much unions receded from their central place the sharp battles that will materialize opportunity for the workers in the in politics. The failure of the union of- in response to the assaults by the ruling Communist League to recruit, as labor ficialdom to mobilize labor in broader class lie ahead, we can already see the radicalized under the blows of the Great political struggles—to organize the un- signs of initial resistance as more and Depression. Up to this time the great organized in the South and elsewhere, more workers seek to use union pow- mass of workers were unorganized. But or to fight for independent working- er to defend themselves from layoffs, beginning in 1933, millions of workers class politics—led to stagnation in the speedup, lack of safety, and declining began participating in strikes and orga- union movement. real wages. As the consequences of the nizing drives across the country. The In the late 1950s and early 1960s capitalist economic and social crisis massive strike wave culminated in the the SWP concentrated its activity on bear down harder, the most class-con- formation of the Congress of Industrial the explosive social struggles by Black scious workers will be won to the com- Organizations in 1936, which became a workers against segregation and on the munist movement. social movement, pressing for govern- openings presented Militant/John Sarge by the Cuban Revolu- Strikers picket in front of Detroit ment action to bring relief from depres- Metropolitan Airport against Eastern sion conditions. This upsurge wrested tion. These were soon $90,000 Socialist Workers Party Airlines Aug. 1, 1989. major gains for the working class in to be followed by the Party-Building Fund the face of attacks from the massive opposition to Communist continuity bosses and their govern- the war in Vietnam, Fall 2008 t Week 6 of 9 The Changing Face of U.S. Politics ment. the rise of the wom- by Jack Barnes Essential to the most im- en’s liberation move- City Quota Paid % A book that shows why only the working portant battles in the ’30s ment, and other social Newark, NJ* $3,900 $3,452 89% class can lead humanity out of the social was the leadership initiative and political struggles Twin Cities, MN** $6,600 $5,720 87% crisis endemic to capitalism in its decline of rank-and-file unionists that attracted young Des Moines, IA* $2,000 $1,631 82% and how millions of workers will revolu- who fought for independent people looking for Seattle* $7,000 $5,433 78% tionize themselves, their unions, and all of working-class action. Revo- an alternative to the Washington, D.C.* $4,800 $3,635 76% society. —$23 lutionary class-conscious capitalist system. Out Chicago* $9,000 $6,491 72% of these movements Capitalism’s World Disorder leadership was decisive in Houston $2,500 $1,795 72% many youth joined by Jack Barnes some of the most successful San Francisco $13,000 $9,027 69% battles, such as the Team- the communist move- How the social devastation endemic to Los Angeles* $9,200 $6,250 68% sters strikes in Minneapolis ment. capitalism can be ended by the timely soli- Miami $3,200 $2,007 63% darity and united struggle of workers and and subsequent organizing New York $15,500 $9,331 60% farmers for state power. —$23.95 drive throughout the Upper Turn to industry Midwest, from which many A turning point in Atlanta $8,500 $5,216 61% The Communist Manifesto of the best militants were working-class poli- Philadelphia $3,500 $2,122 61% by Karl Marx and Frederick Engels recruited to the Communist tics arrived with the Boston $2,800 $1,515 54% How workers today can use their power League. (See “The 1930s 1974–75 economic Other $550 to change society to one based on human Minneapolis Teamsters re- recession, which was solidarity rather than profits.—$5 bellion” in the October 20 the deepest since Total $91,500 $64,174 70% Militant). 1937–38 and the first Should be $90,000 $60,000 67% www.pathfinderpress.com A series of fusions be- downturn since then tween the Communist that was worldwide *raised goal, **raised goal twice The Militant December 1, 2008 7 ‘Socialism in United States is not only possible, but necessary’ New Venezuelan release of ‘Is Socialist Revolution in the U.S. Possible?’ presented at 2008 Venezuela International Book Fair

The following remarks were present- The only question is the price the toil- ed by Mary-Alice Waters, a member of ers will be made to pay. the Socialist Workers Party National The only solution is taking the power Committee and president of Pathfinder to inflict these horrors—state power— Press, at a November 14 panel discus- out of their hands, once and for all. sion held in Caracas during the fourth Venezuela International Book Fair. The The road forced upon us panel celebrated publication of a Span- Is that possible? That is, after all, the ish-language edition of the pamphlet Is question we posed a year ago. And we Socialist Revolution in the U.S. Possi- made the point that revolutionary strug- ble? by the Venezuelan publisher Monte gles by the toilers are not only inevitable, Avila. they will be initiated at first not by us, The talk by Waters is copyright © “but forced upon us by the crisis-driven 2008 by Pathfinder Press, reprinted by assaults of the propertied classes.” permission. The working class in massive num- bers never enters on the road of revolu- by mary-alice waters tionary struggle lightly, or all at once. First, a thank you to all the panelists Workers sense the stakes, the sacrifices for their remarks—to José [González] Militant/Michael Baumann it will entail, the uncertainty. Our class from the ALBA Cultural Fund, Erick From left: Erick Rangel, student at Central University of Venezuela in Caracas; Mary-Alice in its majority exhausts other alterna- [Rangel] from the national leadership Waters, president of Pathfinder Press; Carolina Alvarez, editorial director of Monte Avila; and tives first, including alternatives to com- team of the PSUV youth, and Carolina José González, president of the ALBA Cultural Fund, at launching of the Venezuela edition of munist political leadership. [Alvarez], editorial director of Monte Is Socialist Revolution in the U.S. Possible? at fourth Venezuela International Book Fair. Within the United States and around Avila. As we said last year, however, the it swung wildly by almost a thousand the world, for example, illusions in the On behalf of Pathfinder Press, I above question of whether socialist revolution points, from under 8,000—more than newly elected president of the greatest all want to express our appreciation to is possible in the U.S. is no small matter. 40 percent below its peak—to close at imperialist empire in his- Monte Avila for the decision—as Caro- Its “answer, in practice, will ultimately almost 9,000. These manic fluctuations tory are enormous. But lina described—to publish Is Socialist determine the future of humanity—or have become so much a daily occur- one must be blind to his- Revolution in the U.S. Possible? in not more accurately, perhaps, whether there rence as to become commonplace. And tory to think that Barack one but two editions for the 2008 Ven- is a future for humanity.” everyone knows they simply announce Obama—now the chief ezuela International Book Fair. One edi- another plunge. Trillions of dollars of executive–elect of what tion to be distributed free to book fair A way to ‘manage’ capitalism? what Marx called “fictitious capital” Marx and Engels called participants here tomorrow, and the What most struck me in rereading the have disappeared in the last year, and the the “committee for man- other to be sold across the country over pamphlet was the list of assumptions one bottom is nowhere in sight—nowhere. aging the common affairs the coming year through the Librerías would have to make to reach the conclu- What seemingly started as a capital- of the whole bourgeoi- del Sur chain of bookstores. sion that socialist revolution in the U.S. ist crisis centered in credit and banking sie”—can or wants to do I also want to thank CENAL, the is not possible. And then thinking about has now been revealed to be something anything other than serve National Book Center and organizer of what has transpired in the world in just of a very different dimension. As the the interests of the U.S. the Venezuela International Book Fair, one year’s time! de facto bankruptcy of General Motors ruling class. Of the prop- for the important initiative its national bears witness, the deepest contraction ertied rulers who cold- leadership took last year in organizing “To reach that conclusion,” we bloodedly selected him as said, you would have to believe that of industrial production and employ- the fair’s Central Forum on the theme of there won’t again be economic, fi- ment since the opening decades of the the best man for the job “The United States: A possible revolu- nancial, or social crises on the order last century is accelerating dramatically. right now. tion.” As you have already learned, that of those that marked the first half of And the inevitability of such a contrac- Even before the new was the origin of the talk that is at the the twentieth century. That the ruling tion has underlaid this worldwide crisis stage of the global re- center of the booklet Pathfinder and families of the imperialist world and from the beginning. trenchment that is now Monte Avila are jointly presenting here. their economic wizards have found a It is worth reminding ourselves that accelerating, however, we Cover of the Monte Avila edition of Is It is not by accident that one of the way to ‘manage’ capitalism so as to the Great Depression of the 1930s have already seen, already Socialist Revolution in the U.S. Possible? leading daily newspapers in the United preclude shattering financial crises been part of, the opening that could lead to something akin to wasn’t the consequence of the stock States, the New York Times, just this the Great Depression. . . . market crash of 1929 and subsequent skirmishes of a fighting vanguard of the week disparagingly singled out that fo- You would have to be convinced banking crises alone. Its roots are found working class emerging in the United rum by name as an example of how di- that competition among the imperi- in the violently intensifying competition States. We saw this vanguard-in-be- vorced from reality all you here in Ven- alist rivals, as well as between them among capitalist powers in the years coming as millions of workers took to ezuela are. How divorced from reality and the more economically advanced leading up to World War I—for colo- the streets of cities and towns across the all revolutionary-minded workers are, semicolonial powers, is diminishing nial possessions, access to markets and country in 2006 and 2007 to demand everywhere. That we should think such and that their profit rates…are now raw materials, and inexpensive sources the legalization of some 12 million im- going to begin to rise. . . . a ridiculous proposition worth discuss- of labor to exploit—and the economic migrants whose documents the U.S. ing! That we should think events like A year ago when we were discuss- and social breakdowns and financial ca- government does not recognize. They the Venezuela International Book Fair, ing these questions here in Caracas, the tastrophe that accompanied that bloody retook May Day as a fighting holiday of events that promote reading and culture main U.S. stock market index, just a few interimperialist slaughter and its after- the working class. and civil debate among working people, weeks earlier, had closed at its all-time math. And it took the global carnage of We saw it earlier this year in the defi- point the way forward for humanity. high of a little over 14,000. Yesterday the Second World War, with its massive physical destruc- tion of capital across Europe Recommended reading and Asia from 1939 to 1945, to lay the basis for the ex- Is Socialist Revolution ploiting classes to pull out of that crisis. in the U.S. Possible? That is important. As Len- by Mary-Alice Waters in stressed, there is no hope- “Not only is socialist revolution possible; revolutionary strug- less situation for capitalism. gle is inevitable. It will be initiated at first not by the toilers, but As the two decades from forced upon us by the crisis-driven assaults of the propertied 1930 to 1950 proved once classes. . . . again, the finance capitalists, “What is not inevitable, however, is the outcome of these coming revolution- if they are not stopped before- ary struggles. That is where political clarity, organization, discipline, and the hand, can dig themselves out caliber of proletarian leadership become decisive.” of any crisis—by inflicting $5 enough bloody defeats on the

working classes and destroy- Militant/Jorge Lertora www.pathfinderpress.com ing enough of the world’s ex- Protesters march July 27 against immigration raid at isting industrial capacity. Agriprocessors meatpacking plant in Postville, Iowa.

8 The Militant December 1, 2008 ‘Socialism in United States is not only possible, but necessary’ New Venezuelan release of ‘Is Socialist Revolution in the U.S. Possible?’ presented at 2008 Venezuela International Book Fair

ant response of workers across the Mid- derstand, that the driving force of all west—both immigrant and U.S.-born— history since the dawn of recorded time to police raids on factories and homes, has been class struggle, not conspiracies. the roundups and deportations of thou- That the poisons of Jew-hatred and rac- sands of workers, the criminal charges ism rob us of our ability to see that the of “identity theft” brought against hun- real problem is the capitalist system itself, dreds. That fighting response was cap- and that the real enemy we must defeat is tured most dramatically by the women, the propertied classes whose wealth and together with their children, who led power depend on that system. the protest marches, proudly displaying Working people the world over are in the electronic police monitors shackled for decades of intertwined economic, around their ankles. It was registered military, social, and political crises, and by the workers of all nationalities who their accompanying explosive class bat- joined them. tles. The period we are entering will be This is a working-class vanguard more akin to the years from the opening strengthened by its increasingly inter- of the twentieth century through World national character, by the traditions of War II than to anything any of us have struggle being added by workers from lived through. The one thing we can be around the world to the longtime tra- sure of is that our side, our class, will ditions of working-class battles in the have more than one opportunity to alter Militant/Michael Baumann United States itself. This is a working the course of history in the only way we Lively discussion follows panel presentation of Monte Avila edition of Is Socialist Revolution in the U.S. Possible? at fourth Venezuela book fair. class that is slowly but surely learning can—the way the workers and farmers in struggle the life-or-death necessity of of Cuba did it fifty years ago, and the fight to free the five heroes of the -Cu All these are among the real questions fighting shoulder to shoulder—as well way the working people of the tsarist ban Revolution—who, against their will in front of us. For the opportunity to ad- as how to do so. empire did it four decades before. and ours, have been serving on the front dress them, and to join in the debate The rapidly escalating That’s why the continuing example lines of the class struggle in the United over them, both this year and last, we economic and social crisis of the Cuban Revolution is so important States for more than ten years now—is express our thanks, our respect, and our has only barely begun to today. And, I would add, it’s why the an international battle of the first order. class solidarity. be felt by working people, whether in the United States or internationally. Booklet on U.S. class struggle launched While home foreclosures have been climbing over Continued from front page published by Monte Avila were Cuba massive destruction of capital, to get out the past year, reaching president Mary-Alice Waters at the fo- and the Coming American Revolution, of the Great Depression of the 1930s, more than one million in rum’s first session. by Jack Barnes, and Malcolm X Talks to Waters called attention to the observa- 2008 alone, it is only in More than 50 people attended the Young People. tion made by V.I. Lenin, the central the last months that the presentation of the pamphlet during this José González, who chaired one of leader of the Russian Revolution, that factory closings and lay- year’s book fair. the sessions of the Central Forum last there is no hopeless situation for capital- offs have begun to accel- Beside Alvarez, the panelists were year, also recalled the importance of that ism. Unless workers successfully take erate. Erick Rangel, a student and member event in his opening remarks. state power from their hands, the capi- Just last week the DHL of the national leadership team of the “The rise of a socialist revolution is talists will recover. “The only question courier service shut down JPSUV, the youth organization of the not just happenstance, something born is the price the toilers will be made to domestic service in North governing party, the United Socialist out of a conjuncture,” González said, “It pay,” she emphasized. America, resulting in the Party of Venezuela; José González, the has to be a social process where objective “We have already seen the opening layoff of more than 7,000 president of the ALBA Cultural Fund, a and subjective conditions come together. skirmishes of a fighting vanguard of the workers in the industrial joint publishing project initiated by the The world is going through a very spe- working class” within the United States, Cover of the Monte Avila edition of Is belt of southern Ohio, Venezuelan and Cuban governments cial conjuncture, one that can have un- Waters said, noting that this vanguard Socialist Revolution in the U.S. Possible? with spreading repercus- and now involving Bolivia, Ecuador, foreseen consequences,” he said. “is strengthened by its increasingly in- sions for working people and Nicaragua as well; and Waters, the Erick Rangel, who is a student at the ternational character.” (See above for the from Cincinnati to Dayton to Columbus. author of the pamphlet. The meeting— Central University of Venezuela in Ca- full text of Waters’ remarks). General Motors and other automobile jointly sponsored by the two publishing racas, said when he first readIs Socialist companies are pushing thousands onto houses—was chaired by Róger Calero Revolution in the U.S. Possible? he was Questions about Obama the streets, and thousands more auto and for Pathfinder. struck by the fact that a revolution in the Hands shot up as the discussion pe- auto parts workers all over the country, “This is the third book we have pub- United States “is not only possible, but riod opened. Responding in part to re- and indeed all over the world, will follow lished in collaboration with Pathfinder,” necessary, because of the hardship, pov- marks by several of the speakers, a stu- in the months ahead. Yahoo, the internet Alvarez said. “It brings together the ex- erty, and affronts to dignity facing mil- dent asked whether U.S. president-elect company, is laying off 10 percent of its periences of the Central Forum at last lions of people there.” Barack Obama could lead a revolution workforce worldwide. Monster banks year’s book fair which focused precisely in the United States. In her opening re- are slashing their workforces. And you on the possibilities of making a socialist ‘Potent force within labor’ marks Alvarez had said, “The idea that can multiply those examples many-fold. revolution in the United States.” Previ- Rangel noted the description of the the North American people have voted The majority—both in the United ous Spanish-language Pathfinder titles demonstrations on May 1, 2006, and for a revolutionary candidate is an il- States and beyond, including here in following years, “when immigrants and lusion.” Waters had stated that Obama Venezuela—still live with the grim workers marched to demand their rights.” was “cold-bloodedly selected” by the hope that maybe the slump really won’t He said that it showed that “immigrants U.S. rulers as “the best man for the job get so bad, perhaps its worst possibilities are a potent force within labor.” right now.” González had described will bypass our lands. But world capi- He added that “the financial crisis Obama “as a symbol that a great ma- talism in crisis will not spare the most shows that capitalism doesn’t have the jority of the people in the United States vulnerable. political, social, or economic resources want change.” to sustain itself,” suggesting that it will “If you listen to Obama’s speeches,” A fight for political clarity “fall under its own weight.” said Rangel in answering the student, I want to close by emphasizing one Waters said that in rereading the pre- “you can see that his policies are not point. sentation made a year ago, what she different from those of [defeated Repub- Our job today is above all a political found most striking was “the list of lican candidate John] McCain. The im- one. While the class battles ahead of us assumptions one would have to make portant thing is struggle in the streets.” are inevitable, their outcome is not. That to reach the conclusion that socialist “The two-party system of the Demo- depends on us. On our capacity to un- revolution in the U.S. is not possible,” crats and Republicans is the biggest po- flinchingly face the truth and speak with and then thinking about the deepening litical obstacle to independent working- clarity to fellow combatants, to learn to economic crisis that has unfolded in the class political consciousness and action rely on our own increasing class solidar- Militant/Michael Baumann Erick Rangel, member of national youth last year. in the United States,” said Waters. ity and unity in struggle. To understand, leadership team of the United Socialist Party Pointing to the fact that it took the When Alvarez said that in covering and help other vanguard fighters to un- of Venezuela. global carnage of World War II, with its Continued on page 11

The Militant December 1, 2008 9 How 1979–83 Grenada revolution uplifted workers Below is an excerpt from Maurice six years at the rate of any income tax at all. These workers Bishop Speaks, one of Pathfinder’s five dollars a month out take home all their money. Old-age Books of the Month for November. Bish- of his wages. pensioners had their pension increased op was the central leader of the March If he had gone to a by 10 percent last year and this year it 1979 revolution in the Caribbean island bank and knocked, let us is going up again by 12.5 percent. Our of Grenada that brought a workers and say, on the door of Mr. people know that last year some $43 farmers government to power. He be- Barclays, the first thing million were spent on the international came the nation’s prime minister. The Mr. Barclays would ask airport project alone, and another $40 piece below is from a speech given by him is, “Where is your million will be spent on that project Bishop to an audience of more than collateral?” And maybe this year again. 2,500 at Hunter College in New York if he understand that They know that last year over forty- City on June 5, 1983. In October of that big word, he put out his nine miles of feeder roads were built— year the revolutionary government was cutlass and say, “Look, feeder roads being the roads that con- overthrown by a Stalinist-inspired coup no collateral.” But even nect the farmers to the main roads—so led by Deputy Prime Minister Bernard if he got past that word now the produce can be brought out Coard. This betrayal, in which Bishop and he was able to find safely. They know that apart from these was murdered, opened the door to a some collateral some- forty-nine miles of feeder roads, that fif- U.S. military invasion that installed a how or the other, there teen miles of farm roads were built, and pro-imperialist regime. Copyright © is still another hurdle fourteen new miles of main roads were 1983 by Pathfinder Press. Reprinted by that he’d have to go also built, totaling, therefore, something permission. over. Because then he like seventy-eight new miles of roads in discovers that a loan our country last year alone. could be only over one Our people, therefore, have a great- The youngest Centre for Popular Education (CPE) volunteer year. A $1,000 loan er and deeper understanding of what teacher, Lyndon Adams, with Maurice Bishop, prime minis- Books of ter of Grenada, behind him clapping in the early 1980s. CPE at 12.5 percent inter- the revolution means and what it has organized programs to eliminate illiteracy and make adult est over twelve months brought to them. They certainly un- the month education classes available to all working people. would mean a monthly derstand very, very clearly that when repayment of over $88 some people attack us on the grounds that we have to resolutely wage every a month. That means that just about no of human rights, when some people by maurice bishop single day of our lives. agricultural worker would have been attack us on the grounds of constitut- As we struggle on the road towards But it is much easier for our people able to afford it. ing a threat to the national security of creating a new man and a new woman, to make those sacrifices. It is much And that is why today the agricul- other countries, our people understand living a new life, in what we know will easier for them to accept the impor- tural workers understand what the rev- that is foolishness. They know the real become a new civilization, the old cul- tance of doing these things which they olution is about because they have felt reason has to do with the fact of the ture, the old habits, the old prejudices have not been in the habit of doing, the weight of the revolution. revolution and the benefits that the rev- are always there struggling against the because now they know that for the The people understand that in all olution is bringing to the people of our shoots of the new. That is a struggle first time material benefits are coming. areas of their basic needs, attempts country. The real reason for all of this Our people now understand that what are being made to solve these prob- hostility is because some perceive that they put out will come back, whether lems. Two and a half million gallons what is happening in Grenada can lay through free health care or free educa- more of water, pipe-borne water, are the basis for a new socioeconomic and Books tion or the number of jobs created. flowing into homes of our Grenadians political path of development. of the Month With the free milk distribution pro- at this time. Before the revolution, in They give all kinds of reasons and gram in our country last year, a small many homes and in many parts of the excuses—some of them credible, PATHFINDER island like Grenada, 73,000 pounds of country, pipes had actually rusted up some utter rubbish. We saw an inter- READERS CLUB 25% milk were distributed free every single because water had not passed there for esting one recently in a secret report discount month to over 50,000 people—nearly years. The pipes just stayed there and to the State Department. I want to tell SPECIALS half of the population. corroded. The people understand what you about that one, so you can reflect Maurice Bishop Last year, too, under the house repair it means when electrification is brought on it. That secret report made this NovemberSpeaks program in our country, over 17,240 to their village. The people understand point: that the Grenada revolution is Invaluable lessons from individuals benefited. Under this pro- what it means when they know that by in one sense even worse—I’m using the workers and farmers government that came to gram, the poorest workers in our coun- the middle of next year we will have their language—than the Cuban and power in the 1979 revolution try are entitled to a loan to repair their doubled the electricity output and ca- Nicaraguan revolutions because the in the Caribbean island of houses, to fix the roofs, to fix the floors pacity in our country, and therefore people of Grenada and the leadership Grenada. to make sure that rain does not fall on more people will have the possibility of Grenada speak English, and there- $25. Special price: $18.50 a child while he’s trying to study. And of using electricity. fore can communicate directly with Independent Black Political after the materials are given to the Thirty percent of the lowest-paid the people of the United States. [Ap- Action 1954–78 worker, the worker then repays over workers in our country no longer pay plause] $8. Special price: $6 The Balkan Wars (1912–13) by Leon Trotsky if you like this paper, look us up $35. Special price: $26 Where to find distributors of the Mili- E. Lake St. Zip: 55407. Tel: (612) 729-1205. CANADA The Changing Face tant, New International, and a full display E-mail: [email protected] QUEBEC: Montreal: 7105 St. Hubert, of U.S. Politics: of Pathfinder books. NEW JERSEY: Newark: 168 Suite 106F, H2S 2N1. Tel: (514) 272-5840. E- Working-Class Politics Bloomfield Ave., 2nd Floor. Zip: 07104. mail: [email protected] and the Trade Unions UNITED STATES Tel: (973) 481-0077. E-mail: swpnewark@ by Jack Barnes CALIFORNIA: Los Angeles: 2826 S. optonline.net FRANCE Vermont Ave. #9 Zip: 90007. Tel: (323) 737- Building the kind of party NEW YORK: Manhattan: 306 W. 37th Paris: P.O. 175, 23 rue Lecourbe. 2191. E-mail: [email protected] San working people need to St., 10th Floor. 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E-mail: cledinburgh@ MINNESOTA: Minneapolis: 1311 1/2 optusnet.com.au talktalk.net 10 The Militant December 1, 2008 Editorial More cuts, layoffs Continued from front page Justice for Marcelo Lucero! more than 2,000 workers walked out at Lonmin’s Limpopo platinum mine November 11, demand- Working people should join with the thousands capitalism is the real culprit for unemployment, factory ing increased pay to match wages at the company’s who turned out November 14 to protest the murder of closings, and cutbacks in social services, the capitalist other operations. Ecuadoran immigrant Marcelo Lucero in Patchogue, class and its politicians in Washington try to convince In Chile some 400,000 public workers conducted New York, and demand that his killers be prosecuted working people that immigrants are “stealing Ameri- a two-day national strike November 11–12 to de- and brought to justice. The protest is an example for all can jobs” and draining off needed resources. mand a 14.5 percent wage raise. The action was in working people. Opposing raids, deportations, and anti-immigrant response to rising inflation, which was nearly 10 Lucero was stabbed to death by a racist gang that laws is a life-or-death question for the trade unions. percent over the past year. thought it could attack immigrants with impunity. The More unions should follow the example of Local 32BJ Brazilian president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said outrageous anti-immigrant laws and statements made of the Service Employees International Union, which November 10 that Brazil and other South American by the Suffolk County government created an atmo- joined the November 14 protest. countries “are in better condition to face the crisis sphere that made the killing possible; their repeatedly Opposing attacks on immigrants will also put us than rich countries.” However, in October bosses turning a blind eye to previous anti-immigrant assaults in a better position to fight against the biggest divi- slashed 10,000 jobs in São Paulo, Brazil’s most indus- made it inevitable. sion working people face: that between the employed trialized state. General Motors is temporarily shutting The local laws, such as barring landlords from rent- and unemployed. To combat that we need to demand two of its three São Paulo plants and laying off some ing to undocumented immigrants and restrictions on a massive public works program at union-scale wages workers at the third plant. Stock prices in Brazil have where day laborers may gather for work, flow from and cutting the workweek with no cut in pay. plunged more than 50 percent since May. measures taken by the federal government. The thousands who protested in Patchogue show Of growing concern to Washington is the po- Increased factory raids, trumped-up charges of that the working class is not demoralized or beaten litical instability and working-class resistance U.S. “identity” theft against undocumented workers, the down. On the contrary, they are further proof of an rulers know they will face as economic conditions building of a fortified wall along the U.S-Mexico bor- emerging political vanguard being forged in today’s worsen. “Experts See Security Risks in Downturn: der, and the hiring of more immigration cops have struggle. A vanguard that refuses to postpone the Global Financial Crisis May Fuel Instability and been implemented with bipartisan support from both struggle for workers rights, justice, and dignity no Weaken U.S. Defenses,” headlined a November 15 Democrats and Republicans. matter who is sitting in the White House or Congress. Washington Post article. This “could weaken fragile As the economic crisis heats up there will be more Legalize all immigrant workers now! Stop the raids governments in the world’s most dangerous areas” attempts to scapegoat immigrants. To hide the fact that and deportations! Justice for Marcelo Lucero! and “threaten the survival of friendly regimes from Pakistan to the Middle East,” the Post stated. In re- sponse, the capitalist rulers insist upon expanding funds for military and “intelligence” operations. Booklet on U.S. class struggle launched Street protests in China Continued from page 9 added Alvarez, who had earlier paid tribute to Cuba With slowing exports, at least 67,000 factories in the U.S. elections the big-business media ignored all for its example and the fighting spirit of its people, in China have closed in the first half of the year, ac- but the two big capitalist parties, and asked the U.S. spite of the difficulties they face. She pointed to Ven- cording to Chinese government statistics. Thou- participants on the panel to talk about the socialist ezuela’s links with Bolivia as an example of real, not sands of workers have taken to the streets to demand alternative, Waters invited chairperson Calero, who sentimental, solidarity. back pay. Until recently, the Chinese economy was was the Socialist Workers Party candidate for presi- Such a victory would mean “a very big change,” growing at double-digit rates. Those rates are now dent in 2008, to join the discussion. said Rangel. “It would be a change to a civilized world. plunging, with the annual growth rate increasing in “We presented a workers’ alternative in the elec- It’s what humanity needs.” October by 8.2 percent, down from 17.8 percent last tions,” said Calero. “The class character of the cam- Would the U.S. rulers give up power peacefully, March. paign was important; just having a third candidate is given the military might of the armed forces in their Japan, with the world’s second-largest economy, not enough. We got a hearing from thousands of work- state? asked another participant. saw its gross domestic product decline for two con- ing people and young people. And for us the campaign “The history of the U.S. class struggle is a very secutive quarters and is now officially listed as being does not end on election day.” violent one,” answered Waters. “And no ruling in a recession, as are Germany and Italy. Data released class ever cedes power peacefully. But the working by the European Union November 14 show that the Conspiracy theories vs. science class learns how to defend its strikes and its orga- entire euro-zone economy is also in a recession. When a participant asked for comment on con- nization in the course of struggle. We have seen the Some layoffs are devastating whole towns in spiracy theories and other alternatives to a scien- revolutionary capacity of the working class in the Canada and the United States. Blue Note Mining tific view of history and politics, Alvarez noted that United States to defend itself in massive struggles, shut its zinc and lead mine in Bathurst, Canada, a Monte Avila receives many manuscripts along those like the battles in the 1930s to build an industrial town of 12,000 dependent on jobs at the mine. DHL lines. “We need science, not talk of hidden forces,” union movement. And we will see that again,” she ended U.S. domestic service, closing its distribution she said. “They don’t go to the heart of the matter. noted. hub in Wilmington, Ohio. Out of the town’s 12,000 We must offer scientific, historical explanations.” “Through a socialist triumph in the United States residents, 7,000 no longer have employment. “Can a What would be the impact on Cuba and Venezu- workers and farmers there will place themselves and town go bankrupt, like Iceland?” one Wilmington ela of a successful socialist revolution in the United their enormous productive capacities on the side of all man asked, according to Reuters. Ohio’s unemploy- States? asked another participant. humanity’s future.” ment rate is 7.2 percent, above the official national González responded that the impact would be so As organizers of the next session moved into the rate of 6.5 percent. great as to be almost unimaginable. “Cuba has faced meeting space, a number of participants stayed a while 50 years of conflict with governments in the United longer to continue the discussion with the speakers. Bailout fund recast States,” he added, “but it’s never been a conflict be- Many held copies of Pathfinder’s edition ofIs Socialist A month and a half after Congress approved a tween the peoples of North America and Cuba.” Revolution in the U.S. Possible? It was the most popu- $700 billion bank bailout fund to purchase “trou- “I think that a union of solidarity between the Ven- lar item at the Pathfinder booth at the fair, with sales bled mortgage assets,” Treasury Secretary Henry ezuelan and U.S. peoples would bear fruit for both,” topping more than 250 copies. Paulson announced November 12 that this program is being halted. Instead, it’s being recast as a plan that would supposedly aid consumers. letters Federal funds will now be available not just to banks but to insurance companies and other financial Arlette Nixon Forum on the 10th anniversary Congo institutions that issue student, auto, and credit card I want to point out what I of the Montgomery bus boycott, Thanks for the article in the No- loans. During the past month the federal government thought was an omission in the joined by his wife (left) and Far- vember 24 issue and editorial on the has already given nearly $300 billion to more than photo caption for the article rell Dobbs (right). Congo, so useful in face of all the 40 banks and financial companies, including insur- “Black workers and the fight for If we are identifying every- confusion the situation there creates. ance giant American International Group. political power” in the November one in a photo, I think we should Just that the spelling of the French The mayors of Philadelphia, Phoenix, and Atlanta 17 Militant. The caption reads: give all of them names. This has foreign minister’s name is incorrect. have requested at least $50 billion of these funds. “E.D. Nixon, center, speaks at a a particular resonance if they are It should be Bernard Kouchner. In Atlanta, Mayor Shirley Franklin is seeking to December 1965 Militant Labor women. Derek Jeffers institute a hiring freeze and a 10 percent reduction The caption should have read Paris, France in wages and work hours for city workers from De- Correction “E.D. Nixon . . . joined by his wife cember through June. The Militant omitted the Arlette Nixon (left) and Farrell The letters column is an open In New York, Governor David Paterson is insist- name of Loretta Van Pelt from Dobbs (right). forum for all viewpoints on ing on huge cuts in funds for health care and educa- the list of Socialist Workers Janet Roth subjects of interest to working tion and the reopening of union contracts. He wants Party candidates published in people. Please keep your letters state workers to give up a 3 percent raise due next the November 10 issue. Van Auckland, New Zealand Pelt was the SWP candidate brief. Where necessary they will year and to defer five days’ pay this year, to be re- for U.S. Congress in Georgia’s In reply—We agree. Thanks for be abridged. Please indicate if paid when they retire. New York City mayor Michael 3rd District. pointing out this political error on you prefer that your initials be Bloomberg is calling for eliminating 300 parks de- our part.—Editor used rather than your full name. partment jobs and closing 44 dental clinics.

The Militant December 1, 2008 11