MUNDO OBRERO Contradicciones del imperialismo EEUU 12

Workers and oppressed peoples of the world unite! workers.org Dec. 18, 2008 Vol. 50, No. 50 50¢ Fighting for the right to jobs and justice Republic workers occupy Chicago plant By Dante Strobino and Ben Carroll As solidarity builds: Dec. 9—Chanting “You got bailed out; we got sold out!” workers at the Republic Windows and Doors factory in Chicago ‘Spirit of workers remains high’ picketed outside Bank of America Dec. 3 after learning from their company that the n the evening of Dec. 9, Bail Out bank was shutting Republic’s doors. Later O the People Movement organizers that night, the majority Latin@ work- Sharon Black and Jill White gave the fol- force, organized into Electrical Workers lowing eyewitness update to WW from the Local 1110, voted unanimously to occupy lobby of the Republic Windows and Doors their factory if management went forward plant in Chicago: with its plans. “The spirit of the workers remains When the morning of Dec. 5 came very high and strong as they continue to around, the bosses at Republic must have provide round-the-clock security dur- expected a quick resolution when they ing their occupation of the plant. These decided to shut down the factory and lay heroic workers have vowed to stay in the off the 270 workers. But instead of walking plant up until Christmas or beyond to win off the job feeling dejected, these workers the kind of justice they seek. Leah Fried, photo: ue an UE organizer, told us that no mat- took bold and decisive action and have Workers sitting in cafeteria of occupied Republic plant. been occupying the factory floor since 10 ter what the outcome of the negotiations a.m. that morning. Such a tactic has not Bank of America’s refusal to grant Republic workers’ takeover reflects what between the leadership of UE Local 1110, been used by workers in almost 20 years. Republic a loan comes after a $25 billion needs to be the response. It is an example Congressperson Luis Gutierrez, represen- The last time a workplace occupation federal bailout was given to the bank— of how to exercise our power over this tatives of Bank of America and Republic’s occurred was when workers in the Mine money taken out of the pockets of the crisis—take back the means that produce management, solidarity demonstrations Workers union in Pittston, W.Va., took workers and oppressed people via taxes. all the wealth in the first place,” UE Local around the country should happen because over their facility in 1989; that occupation “Taxpayers would like to see that bail- 150 President Angaza Laughinghouse of the broad political issue of demanding a lasted to the spring of 1990. out money go toward saving jobs, not told Workers World. “The truth of the bailout for all the workers.” n Republic closed up shop after Bank of saving C.E.O.’s,” said Leah Fried, an UE matter is that the workers should own America refused to extend a line of credit organizer. “This is outrageous.” (New that factory.” to the company to keep the factory open. York Times, Dec. 8) As autoworkers in the United Auto With only three days’ notice—a flagrant UE continues to display its unique rank- Workers caravan to Washington, D.C., to THE UAW violation of Illinois’ Worker Adjustment and-file, member-run character in this request federal money for General Motors, and Retraining Notification Act, which struggle. Elected UE officers at national Ford and Chrysler to maintain their jobs, Congress, requires at least 60 days’ notice before a and local levels are maintaining a firm the last thing their corporate bosses and plant closure—the factory put the work- stance defending the Local 1110 workers the government want is for them to hear and the workers 5 ers out in the cold right before the holi- all the way, including their just demands the news of the UE workers at Republic. day season without a job and the pay they to keep the plant open. Workers know their ultimate power rests were due. The company hoped they could “Amidst this crisis, workers are showing with their labor and what they deserve is move across the border to Iowa where that we have no other choice but to fight the run of the factory and all the things GIs, IRAqIs REsIsT they could find cheaper, non-union labor. back. Our backs are against the wall. The Continued on page 10 9

ODETTA 2 FREEFREE MUMIA!MUMIA! A voice ActionsActions coast-to-coastcoast-to-coast 33 for liberation

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CHOLERA IN ZIMBABWE Deadly fallout of Western sanctions 8 INT’L CONFERENCES Focus on labor, migrant rights 6, 7 Page 2 dec. 18, 2008 www.workers.org

ODE TTA A powerful voice ts H In the U.S. By Monica Moorehead & Dolores Cox of the civil righ Republic workers occupy Chicago plant ...... 1 “ Sometimes As solidarity builds: Spirit of workers remains high . . . 1 I feel like a motherless chile …” movement Odetta: A powerful voice of the civil rights movement . . 2 a long ways from home –Taken from a “Negro” spiritual Solidarity with political prisoner Mumia Abu-Jamal . . . 3 Prisoners support Mumia Abu-Jamal ...... 3 This spiritual expresses the horrif- Workers' conference plans fightback on foreclosures . . 4 ic impact of U.S. slavery on millions of African people stolen from their Communities challenge city budget cuts ...... 4 homeland. The legendary African- FIST on Republic Windows workers ...... 4 American folk singer, Odetta, sang Congress vs . the UAW ...... 5 this spiritual and others like it with Autoworker speaks on UAW contract ...... 5 immeasurable feelings of deep sor- row and anguish. Worker trampled to death at Wal-Mart ...... 6 Bestowed the honorific “Queen of Surge in GI/vet resistance and support ...... 9 America’s Folk Music” by Dr. Martin Never forget Fred Hampton and Mark Clark . . . . . 10 Luther King Jr., Odetta’s voice was silenced on Dec. 2 with her passing Organize the South! ...... 11 from heart failure in a Harlem, N.Y., hospital. She was 77 years old. When H Around the world Rosa Parks, known as “the mother Int'l conference strategizes for migrant rights . . . . . 6 of the civil rights movement,” was International solidarity at workers' conference in Tijuana 7 asked which songs inspired her, her Monica Moorehead and odetta backstage at 1987 benefit concert, reply was the ones that Odetta sang. Montgomery, Ala. Imperialists launch new efforts to topple Zimbabwe . . 8 Odetta Holmes was born Dec. 31, 1930, in Birmingham, grandfather, William James Edwards, in 1893 to teach Puppet gov’t signs SOFA deal, Iraqi people reject it . . . 9 Ala., during the Great Depression. At the age of six her former slaves how to read, write and learn a trade. With Nepal, scientific socialism and people’s war . . . . . 11 family moved to Los Angeles. She started playing the very little resources, the school was reopened by my acoustic guitar at the age of 19. In the 1950s she per- mother, Consuela Lee, to teach indigent, Black rural chil- H Editorials formed in the musical “Finian’s Rainbow” and sang in dren their rich heritage of jazz, spirituals and folk music. Greece: ‘Cops, pigs, murderers’ ...... 1 coffee houses before permanently moving to New York. The fact that Odetta would take time out of her busy Her first solo album, “Odetta Sings Ballads and Blues,” schedule to showcase her incredible talents in support H Noticias En Español was released in 1956. She would eventually perform at of a small, isolated school in the poor county of Wilcox New York’s Carnegie Hall. was so awe inspiring and an experience that all who were Contradicciones del imperialismo EEUU ...... 12 For Odetta, folk music—be it spirituals, blues or work present will never forget. She is someone who all cultural songs—was a vehicle for expressing the plight and expe- artists should aspire to be.” riences of racism and injustice experienced by Black Moorehead’s uncle, acoustic bassist and composer, people dating back to the days of slavery. Bill Lee aka William James Edwards Lee III, told WW, Odetta was instrumental in bringing work songs to a “I became a folk-jazz bassist while I lived in Chicago at Workers World broader audience. These were songs originally sung by the Gate of Horn club, just north of downtown Chicago. 55 West 17 Street Black prisoners on chain gangs to express their enslaved- Another bassist asked me to sub for him while I was work- New York, N.Y. 10011 like conditions in the South—picking cotton in the fields ing with Josh White. I became the house bass player. Phone: (212) 627-2994 or breaking up rocks with sledgehammers under the gun “Odetta followed Josh White as the next attraction and Fax: (212) 675-7869 and whip, from sunup to sundown. we ‘hit it off.’ She asked me to become her bass player and E-mail: [email protected] In reference to work songs, Odetta stated, “They were we immediately became a duo in the late 1950s. I found Web: www.workers.org liberation songs. You’re walking down life’s road, soci- her to be musical and understanding in her approach to Vol. 50, No. 50 • Dec. 18, 2008 ety’s foot is on your throat, every which way you turn life. We traveled all over the world together, including Closing date: Dec. 9, 2008 you can’t get from under that foot. And you reach a fork Africa. Our concerts were successful and people every- in the road and you can either lie down and die or insist where loved Odetta’s music.” Editor: Deirdre Griswold upon your life.” (New York Times, Dec. 3) Odetta also In 1999, Odetta was awarded the National Endowment Technical Editor: Lal Roohk sang songs about working women, including mothers for the Arts’ National Medal of Arts. And in 2003, the Managing Editors: John Catalinotto, LeiLani Dowell, comforting crying babies while rocking them to sleep. U.S. Library of Congress presented Odetta with the Leslie Feinberg, Monica Moorehead, Gary Wilson Odetta used her talents to push forward the struggle ‘Living Legend Award.’ West Coast Editor: John Parker for social justice on many fronts. Odetta was hoping to sing at Barack Obama’s upcom- The 1963 March on Washington, which brought out ing Jan. 20 presidential inauguration, and had a poster Contributing Editors: Abayomi Azikiwe, 250,000 people to demand jobs and full equality for of him over her hospital bed when she died. Even with Greg Butterfield, Jaimeson Champion, G. Dunkel, all, is best known for Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream” rally her physical death, recordings of Odetta’s music will con- Fred Goldstein, Teresa Gutierrez, Larry Hales, speech. Odetta sang three songs at that rally. tinue to have the power to heal, to soothe frustration and Kris Hamel, David Hoskins, Berta Joubert-Ceci, She marched alongside Dr. King in the Selma-to- inspire Black people. Cheryl LaBash, Milt Neidenberg, Bryan G. Pfeifer, Montgomery march in 1965. She did fundraising concerts The lyrics to the spiritual, “Oh, Freedom!” that Betsey Piette, Minnie Bruce Pratt, Gloria Rubac for important mobilizations. She performed at the NYC's Odetta performed at the 1963 March on Washington Technical Staff: Sue Davis, Shelley Ettinger, Village Gate to help raise funds for the 100,000-strong, succinctly epitomizes her life: Bob McCubbin, Maggie Vascassenno anti-war, May 3, 1981, March on the Pentagon. Mundo Obrero: Carl Glenn, Teresa Gutierrez, WW managing editor, Monica Moorehead, comment- “ Oh freedom, Oh freedom, Oh freedom over me/ Berta Joubert-Ceci, Donna Lazarus, Michael Martínez, ed, “Odetta performed two benefit concerts in 1987 and Carlos Vargas 1993 to support Snow Hill Institute for the Performing An befo’ I’d be a slave, I’ll be buried in my grave/ Arts in Alabama. This institute was founded by my great- An’ go home to my Lord an’ be free.” Copyright © 2008 Workers World. Verbatim copying and distribution of articles is permitted in any medium without royalty provided this notice is preserved. JOIN Us. National Office Buffalo, N.Y. Houston Richmond, Va. 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Other UM groups sup- Dec. 6 was declared an International los Santos of the Iglesia San Romero porting the event included Students for Day of Solidarity with death row politi- de Las Américas; Suzanne Ross of Economic and Social Justice, Students for cal prisoner, Mumia Abu-Jamal. Events the New York Free Mumia Coalition; Peace and Justice and the International were held in France, Switzerland, Ger­ and Ashanti Alston of the Jericho Action Center in Montana. many, England and Mexico, while in the Movement, who spent more than a The day before the Missoula event, U.S. events were organized in Detroit, decade in prison. Alston spoke of the activists and members of Amnesty San Francisco, Baltimore, Portland, need to free all political prisoners, International and the IAC gathered In San Diego and other cities. Mumia’s including Leonard Peltier and the Dillon, Mont., on the campus of the lawyers are currently appealing to the San Francisco 8. University of Montana Western. They U.S. Supreme Court for a new guilt-phase Monica Moorehead of the heard Larry Hales speak about Mumia’s trial, while the Philadelphia district attor- International Action Center spoke on case and then engaged in a lively discus- ney is appealing to the same court in an Abu-Jamal’s refusal to compromise sion to plan further actions in support effort to execute Mumia without a new his principles and his continued polit- of Mumia and the statewide movement sentencing-phase jury trial. The following ical contributions through radio com- against the death penalty in Montana. are summaries of some of the U.S. events. mentaries and weekly columns on Pam Africa presents pieces of the widely acknow- The meetings in Missoula and Dillon issues from imperialist wars abroad Philadelphia ­ledged evidence of Abu-Jamal’s innocence. were the first held in the state by the to the economic crisis at home. “With International Action Center in Montana, Hundreds of spirited and determined almost two million people foreclosed out Hales, an International Action Center and are seen by state organizers of the demonstrators straddled both sides of a of homes this year and millions unem- organizer, and see the film distributed by IAC and other involved groups as step- circular drive around Philadelphia’s City ployed, we have to link these wars at home the Peoples Video Network, “The Framing ping stones to building a statewide net- Hall across from District Attorney Lynn when we raise the political struggle against of an Execution: Mumia Abu-Jamal and work to not only oppose the racist death Abraham’s office on Dec. 6 to confront prisons, police brutality and stop and frisk. the Media.” penalty and the unjust imprisonment of her attempt to fast track the execution of Mumia would want us to.” Rachael Carroll, an organizer with the oppressed and poor people, but also to Mumia Abu-Jamal. Abraham, known as Fight Imperialism, Stand Together Montana Human Rights Network and engage in other political action against “the deadliest DA in the U.S.,” has called on organizer Larry Hales remarked that it Montana Abolition Coalition, a statewide economic and political injustice. the U.S. Supreme Court to reinstate Abu- has been 39 years since the murders of movement against the death penalty, also Jamal’s death sentence, despite mounds spoke. The coalition was also a sponsor of —John Lewis Black Panther members Fred Hampton Buffalo, N.Y. of evidence of his innocence. The largely and Mark Clark by Chicago police. “We the event. Activists in the fight to free U.S. political youthful crowd filled the frigid December don’t want to wait 39 years to observe Carroll reported that the Montana prisoners gathered in Buffalo to watch a air with chants of “No Justice, No Peace! another anniversary about Mumia. Young component of the prison-industrial com- new video, “Fighting for Mumia’s Freedom: Until Mumia Abu-Jamal’s Released!” people today aren’t being educated about plex is part of the racist trend through- A Report from Philadelphia.” They also The rally opened with a phoned-in the great social movements, but they are out the United States, where members watched a CBS-produced program, “West solidarity greeting live from Venezuelan going to be radicalized as they fight back of oppressed nations are imprisoned and 57th,” that told so much truth about the campesino leader Braulio Álvarez, a mem- against the conditions they face today, and receive death sentences far beyond their case of Leonard Peltier that it outraged ber of the National Assembly representing they’ll come to understand the importance numbers in the population. She said, the government when it was aired in the the Yaracuy states. of raising political prisoners’ demands.” “American Indians in Montana are about Álvarez called from a protest out- 6 percent of the population, but Indian 1980s. A lively discussion followed. —Betsey Piette side the U.S. Embassy in Caracas where women comprise between 42 percent and — Ellie Dorritie Venezuelans gathered to present a letter Montana 75 percent of all women in prison to the U.S. ambassador calling for the Student and community activists in in the state. In addition, Indian state in Pennsylvania to immediately lib- support of Mumia Abu-Jamal met on Dec. men comprise more than 22 per- erate Abu-Jamal. 2 in Missoula, Mont., on the campus of the cent of both prisoners and those Pam Africa of the MOVE organization University of Montana (UM) to hear Larry receiving the death penalty.” and International Concerned Family and Both Hales and Carroll spoke Friends of Mumia Abu-Jamal challenged about the need for people to get the assertion by District Attorney Abraham involved in local and statewide that there was no evidence that Abu- actions against the racist death Jamal was innocent or denied a fair trial. penalty as well as to support Africa called on Captain William Fisher, Mumia and demand that his legal head of Philadelphia’s Police Department lynching be stopped. Both orga- Cleveland of Civil Affairs, to come forward, and she nizers encouraged those present to WW PHOTO: SUSAN SCHNUR Nearly 100 people braved a snow- proceeded to pile his arms with mounds follow the advice of Mumia to “Organize! storm in Cleveland on Dec. 6 to protest of books, files, CD’s and photos containing Organize! Organize!” the 27 years of wrongful imprisonment of evidence that has been gathered over the Elisabeth Stoeckel, a UM graduate stu- Mumia Abu-Jamal and to recommit to the years to take to Abraham. dent, chaired the meeting and represent- struggle for his freedom. Noting that in 1981 and again in 1985 ed the Social Justice Action Network, an Abu-Jamal’s life was put in the con- both the police and district attorney were event sponsor and a UM organization that text of J. Edgar Hoover’s war against the given copies of photos taken by inde- provides social work graduate students ww Photos: Lal Black Panther Party by Abdul Qahhar, pendent photojournalist Pedro Polakoff Suzanne Ross holds photo of Braulio with the opportunity to get involved with that contradicted prosecution witnesses’ Álvarez, Philadelphia, Dec. 6. social justice activities on campus and in Continued on page 10 accounts, Africa challenged Abraham’s position that evidence proving Abu- Jamal’s innocence was not timely and therefore could not be admitted to court. Prisoners support Mumia Abu-Jamal Africa noted that the prosecution had these photos, yet kept them from defense On Dec. 6, at Cleveland’s Revolutionary greetings, com- Greetings. I’d like attorneys. event protesting the injus- rades and brothers and sisters. to first thank all of you The rally was followed by a march past tice of 27 years of wrongful Revolution means change, which is who participate in the Union League on S. Broad Street, imprisonment of Mumia overdue for the innocent but rail- struggle. Your efforts where earlier in the day President George Abu-Jamal, two of the roaded Move 9 and the “voice of and energy keep the W. Bush was present to see his portrait prisoners framed on false the voiceless,” Mumia Abu-Jamal. sunlight bright. I’ve hung. Some protesters carried placards charges in connection with Since learning about Mumia read much about with a photo of Bush behind bars for war the 1993 Lucasville, Ohio, in early 1989, I find it hard to Mumia Abu-Jamal crimes with the slogan “Jail Bush! Free prison uprising sent these separate him and the Move [and] his unselfish love for oppressed peo- Mumia!” excerpted messages of soli- Organization, nor the staged ple, so it’s really great to see international At 13th and Locust streets the march darity, which were read by railroading and ongoing confinement of support for justice in his case. stopped for a brief enactment of the 1981 their relatives. the innocent voice of Mumia’s that spoke I can recall reading W. E. B. DuBois crime scene, where Hans Bennett of Due to widespread campaigns for truth to corruption and falsehood. This once saying, “It’s easy to gather support Journalists for Mumia outlined the con- their freedom, both prisoners are finally brother never failed to step to the plate for the famous and well off. But who will tradictory statements of state witnesses out of solitary confinement after more for the people’s benefit. Let us all step to defend the less known?” There are many that have since been exposed as lies by than 15 years. Mosi O. Paki, an uprising the plate for this brave, innocent brother of us with solid evidence who, all things Polokoff’s photos and other eyewitness participant, never received a trial but until he is released from this nearly three equal, would be set free. Please, comrades, accounts. was charged with an internal prison decades of wrongful confinement. From become familiar with our cases and get to The march concluded with another spir- rules infraction. Greg Curry’s charges one political prisoner for another— know us personally. Many of us are pre- ited rally as protesters occupied Market materialized out of thin air when he Free Mumia Now! pared to join you in struggle and growth. Street outside the Federal Court build- refused to testify falsely against other Ona Move in the Struggle, Freedom First, ing, where speakers included Manolo de prisoners following the uprising. Mosi O. Paki Greg Curry Page 4 Dec. 18, 2008 www.workers.org Workers’ conference plans fightback on foreclosures, utility shutoffs By Kris Hamel level of political discussion which fol- Detroit lowed flowed from the participants’ own struggles to survive and their involvement The Moratorium NOW! Coalition to in the peoples’ movement. Stop Foreclosures and Evictions hosted Lorene Parker is fighting Bank of a workers’ and poor peoples’ conference America’s attempt to evict her from her on the capitalist crisis on Dec. 6. Anger, home. She told how she tried contacting determination, compassion and solidar- the bank to work out a payment plan after ity emanated from the more than 80 she underwent a heart and liver double participants gathered at Central United transplant and fell behind on her mort- Methodist Church in downtown Detroit. gage. The bank’s response to Parker’s The pervasive economic crisis, espe- plight was to move ahead with her fore- cially in the banking and auto sectors, was closure and eviction. examined from the perspective of fight- The conference attendees unanimous- WW Photo: Alan Pollock ing further attacks on working people. ly called for an action outside Bank of Protest in front of Belva Davis’ house, Dec. 6. Discussion centered on the struggle for a America in downtown Detroit on Dec. 10 moratorium to stop all foreclosures and to demand an immediate loan modifica- including a steelworker who just got laid eviction notice. Other speakers included evictions, utility shutoffs and plant clos- tion for Parker and to stop the sheriff’s off from his job, came out to support her. renters’ rights activists Julia Wallace and ings, and to bail out the people, not the sale of her home scheduled for Dec. 11. State Sen. Hansen Clarke, sponsor of SB Arturo Valasquez of Los Angeles, Maureen banks. The demonstration will also be in solidar- 1306, pledged to keep the struggle alive in Taylor of the Michigan Welfare Rights Rev. Ed Rowe, pastor of Central United ity with the UE workers occupying the the state legislature: “If you are willing to Organization, people’s attorney Vanessa Methodist Church, welcomed the confer- plant in Chicago, where because Bank of keep fighting, I will keep on fighting. One Fluker and coalition activist Debbie ence goers. He stated he was proud that America withdrew its loan, the company of my first acts in January, when the leg- Johnson. the Moratorium NOW! Coalition has announced it was closing and would not islature reconvenes, will be to reintroduce Many action proposals were adopted, its office in the church, and that Central pay workers their vacation and severance a bill for a two-year moratorium on fore- including a demonstration outside DTE Methodist continues to be a place where required under federal law. closures and evictions.” Energy in Detroit to demand a morato- many struggles are carried out daily. A letter to Bank of America officials was Labor activist Frank Hammer, former rium on utility shutoffs and a protest at Coalition leader Abayomi Azikiwe gave signed by everyone at the conference and president of United Auto Workers Local the Capitol in Lansing when Gov. Jennifer a keynote talk on the work of the foreclo- will be delivered during the Dec. 10 dem- 909, spoke about the caravan of auto Granholm delivers her state of the state sure moratorium campaign in Michigan. onstration. Bail Out the People activists workers that will leave Detroit Dec. 7 for address in early 2009. “This conference is taking place at an his- in North Carolina will also hand-deliver Washington, D.C., to intervene on behalf The week prior to the conference, coali- toric time—the worst economic crisis since the letter to the bank president when they of union workers at the Capitol Hill auto tion organizer and people’s attorney Jerry the Great Depression. But we are fight- demonstrate outside Bank of America’s industry hearings. Retired Local 909 Goldberg represented Mary Eady, a senior ing back,” said Azikiwe. “Today we salute headquarters in Charlotte on Dec. 8. president, Al Benchich, also spoke. on a fixed income, in court proceedings the union workers who are occupying the Belva Davis from Detroit’s East English Coalition leader Sandra Hines motivat- to stop her eviction from her home of Republic Doors and Windows factory in Village received her eviction notice from ed the audience to keep struggling. Hines, 47 years by Wells Fargo Bank. Goldberg Chicago in their fight against the bosses a Wall Street trust company earlier that who faced foreclosure and eviction one year argued forcefully that the bank, which and Bank of America.” morning. After the conference, the par- ago from her family’s home of 37 years, is received $25 billion in taxpayer money Azikiwe described the collapse of the ticipants formed a car caravan to Davis’ now facing another eviction because her in the recent federal bailout, has a duty capitalist economic system and its impact eastside neighborhood for a militant rally landlord has not paid the mortgage. under federal law to renegotiate the terms on poor and working people. The high in front of her house. Several neighbors, Mint farmer Linette Crosby of rural of borrowers’ loans. The judge adjourned St. Johns, Mich., told of her family’s the proceedings for one month pending Dec. 6 rally at the Central Branch struggle to save their historic farm from her decision. Library in Philadephia. foreclosure. Farmer Diane Zechmeister of Coalition activists were joined by orga- Oakland, Mich., told how she just sold her nizers from Call ‘Em Out at the Detroit horses in order to make a mortgage pay- home of Marvin and Louise Morris for a ment to Washington Mutual, now owned candlelight vigil and neighborhood march by JPMorgan Chase. Her interest-only on Dec. 4. The Morrises have been vic- payments are $2,500 per month. tims of constant abuse by the loan servicer Dave Segraves is also being foreclosed HomEq and are being threatened with on by Chase Bank. He held up his Dec. 8 eviction by Barclays Bank. n FIST on Republic Windows workers: ‘Take destiny into your hands’ Fight Imperialism, Stand Together ly what should become a mantra for our (FIST) youth group applauds the workers struggle during these times, “Bail out the at Republic Windows and Doors for taking workers, not the banks!” the bold action to occupy the plant, instead It is Bank of America, after having of walking off the job feeling dejected when received $25 billion in federal monies— management decided to close the factory money taken from the workers and the WW photo: Joe Piette and lay them off without the required-by- oppressed via taxes—that is refusing to law 60-day notification or 60 days’ pay. release the loan money to Republic that Communities challenge We also applaud the Electrical Workers should be used to pay the workers. for backing up the workers. Republic Windows and Doors thought We support the call made by the Bail Out it could close up the factory, after having city budget cuts the People Movement, including the Dec. sold the land, and move to a place further 8-13 days of action for protests in front of south to get cheaper labor; they also must By Audrey Hoak city’s promised $4 million to Philadelphia your local Bank of America office or build- have thought that the workers would walk Philadelphia Community College. ing. The BOPM call also states, “Support away hanging their heads. This would be A $4.6 million cut to the Department of the demands of the Republic Windows understandable, as workers are being bat- Mayor Michael Nutter is preparing to Human Services will cause the city to lose and Doors workers: management must tered by the economic crisis. Both the own- balance his budget through draconian $18 million in state matching funds, leav- meet with the workers; workers must ers of companies and the U.S. government cuts in services, pensions, grants and jobs ing a $23 million gap in human services in receive 60 days’ full pay; and no repres- are heaping the brunt of hardship on the in Philadelphia at the expense of the city’s a city that uses $22 million from the non- sion against the workers, no attempts to backs of all workers and the oppressed. most vulnerable population. discretionary portion of its budget to pay remove, arrest or charge them.” The workers at Republic had a differ- In November, Nutter announced plans for the incarceration of youth. The workers’ decisive action may become ent idea and upped the ante, taking their to whittle down a potential five-year, The Byron Story Youth Restoration the tinderbox of a broad fightback against immediate future in their own hands. $1 billion deficit. The first round of cuts Center in predominantly African- the misery and despair foisted upon work- What they are really asking for is very lit- includes limits to trash collection and American North Philadelphia is faced ers and the oppressed, culled together by tle—75 days’ pay guaranteed by law. What snow plowing; closing of fire stations; with closing its doors on Jan. 1. While the the objective nature of a system based on they deserve is to run the factory, includ- elimination of residential street cleaning; center is supported by local organizations, exploitation so that a small group of people ing access to all the things needed to pro- and closing 68 of 81 city swimming pools. its primary source of funding comes from can reap greater and greater profit. duce products. The cuts include reducing in half the Continued on page 6 But, what’s more, it illuminates perfect- FIST stands in solidarity and calls on all www.workers.org Dec. 18, 2008 Page 5 Workers’ conference plans fightback on foreclosures, Congress vs. the UAW utility shutoffs By Martha Grevatt Watching the congressional hearings, The latest development in Washington again by year’s end—two options are pre- you’d almost think that these self-righ- is a plan to grant the car manufacturers sented. The lesser evil is a federal bailout When General Motors President teous elected officials were genuinely “bridge loans” of $15 billion. Even this ordering drastic restructuring. The greater Charles E. “Engine Charlie” Wilson was appalled by the excessive salaries and paltry sum could be rejected by the House, evil, a Delphi-style bankruptcy, would have in line to be U.S. secretary of defense, he perks, the disregard for the environment, the Senate or the White House. Why? For the same purpose of wiping out jobs and was quoted as saying, “What’s good for and the managerial ineptitude of the three the cost of a fraction of the Fannie Mae/ driving down wages and benefits. Either General Motors is good for the country.” It corporate leaders. Freddie Mac bailout, or a few weeks of scenario gives the bosses a convenient turned out to be a slight misquote, but the In fact, the Democrats and Republicans warfare in Iraq, why not just cough up the excuse—“government orders”—to impose phrase became symbolic of the tremen- remain loyal servants of Big Capital. money and go on recess as planned? cuts now to reap big profits in the future. dous political clout held by the captains What has changed? One difference is the These politicians aren’t concerned The worst case scenario, liquidation of of the auto industry. After Wilson, Ford shift in the capitalist economy in the past about abusive executive compensation; if a company, could affect some 2.5 million Motor Co. President Robert McNamara quarter century. Now the bulk of surplus they were they would pass a law against to 6 million jobs. inherited the job. value—profits—comes from the super- it. As their names imply, the Senate The attack on the UAW is an attack What a contrast to the humiliating drub- exploitation of low-wage workers in the Banking and House Finance Committees on the whole working class. Historically, bing by Congress of the CEOs of GM, Ford service sector and of workers in oppressed are beholden to the banks, whose fortunes when the UAW won a wage increase, it and Chrysler, who swallowed their execu- countries producing goods and services ultimately depend on maximizing surplus set the standard for other industries. As tive pride and agreed to work for a dollar a for slave wages. This in part explains the value created by the exploitation of wage union wages rose, non-union wages had to year as they begged for $34 billion to help diminished influence of the U.S. auto labor at the point of production. They follow close behind to discourage unioniz- them survive in the next few months. companies. want to see the union wage scale and ulti- ing. Likewise, if wages are cut in auto, that The only one to get a pat on the back The debate over the spoils taken from mately the union itself destroyed. will exert downward pressure on all work- during the bailout hearings was United the workers in the form of taxes reveals According to the Detroit News, “Sen. ers’ wages. When one union is weakened, Auto Workers President Ron Gettelfinger. finance capital’s political power. The Bob Corker, R-Tenn., said Saturday he was all unions are weakened. This was after several hundred local union same Wall Street financiers who, in the ‘disappointed’ with the still-unwritten res- The rank and file are being urged by leaders voted, with only five dissenters, to glory days of the automobile industry set cue because it did not require major union their union officials to contact their con- eliminate the “controversial” jobs bank - its rapid expansion in motion, now have givebacks or debt restructuring moves” gressional representatives and ask them which merely grants laid-off workers an Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson put- while “the White House wants a trustee to support the bailout. Yet as a grassroots additional two years of income security. ting up a fuss over giving a fraction of named by Bush to wring concessions from car caravan against concessions demon- The union also agreed to let the auto- the $700-billion-dollar Troubled Assets the automakers and their unions before strated, many want to do more. makers delay scheduled payments on Recovery Program funds set aside for any loan money can be released.” When one Chrysler UAW local held an the Voluntary Employee Beneficiary banks. The banking executives unapolo- What the Senate Banking Committee emergency meeting on a Saturday, hun- Asso­ciation, a UAW-administered fund getically enjoy the same obscene compen- chair, Democrat Christopher Dodd, dreds turned up. One worker spoke on the designed to relieve the employers of their sation and indulgences as GM, Ford and is demanding is even more extreme: need to tell Congress that we oppose any obligations to fund retiree health benefits. Chrysler LLC CEOs Rick Wagoner, Alan “Chrysler, is, I think, basically gone, prob- merger, while another asked why we don’t Work­ing UAW members have already Mulally and Bob Nardelli, respectively. ably ought to be merged.” A GM-Chrysler have the government give us the money to been paying for the VEBA through cuts in The real stakeholders—those whose merger would create so-called “overca- run the company. “Yeah, let’s get rid of the the Cost Of Living Allowance; five quar- livelihoods directly or indirectly depend pacity,” leading to plant closings and mass bosses,” a third worker chimed in. “Let’s terly adjustments have left workers mak- on the car industry—are treated like so layoffs. (Detroit News, Dec. 7) tell Congress: hands off our wages, hands ing seven cents less per hour now than in many extras in a drama of corporate-gov- For the 139,000 UAW-represented Big off our pensions, hands off our jobs and 2007. ernment conflict. Three workers—whose numbers will drop hands off our union!” n Autoworker speaks on UAW contract By David Sole assembly line know in their bones that the quent UAW top leader has shrunk from concessions contracts, UAW President Detroit basic interests of the boss and the workers this conclusion to this day. Douglas Fraser was given a seat on the Autoworkers need to take a fresh look are not the same. The business of manage- What would it mean for the UAW to Chrysler Board of Directors. From a union at their contracts in order to resist further ment is to make profits. The “business” of expose the antagonistic class positions point of view this was ridiculous. One vote concessions and develop a strategy that the workers is to make enough to provide instead of lamely following the lead of on a big board of bosses and bankers was does not hold them hostage to the threat a decent living for themselves and their the auto bosses? It isn’t simply saying no meaningless. of plant closings, layoffs or bankruptcy families. to concessions or going on strike to stop But from another angle, it was a recog- proceedings. The place to start is with the Management wants to hide the funda- takeaways. When the whole nition that the workers ought opening sentences of the contract. mental fact that the interest of the capi- economy is in crisis, a mas- Workers World to have a say in running the The UAW-GM contract begins with: talist bosses and of “their” workers is dia- sive depression looms, and company in light of the new, “The management of General Motors rec- metrically opposed. It is a class antago- the Big Three are threaten- commentary dire conditions and the tax- ognizes that it cannot get along without nism based on exploitation. Sometimes ing bankruptcy, autowork- payer-funded bailout. labor any more than labor can get along this antagonism is more muted, at other ers are tremendously fearful about losing How much worse are things today! As without the management. Both are in the times more open. With the onset of the their jobs. With no alternative presented the crisis deepens workers must think same business... . General Motors holds current deep capitalist economic crisis, to them, most will vote for another round about whether they “can’t do without that the basic interests of employers and the very survival of the workers and the of concessions. management.” The unthinkable might employees are the same.” existence of their union are in question. If the UAW contracts were to be start looking reasonable. Why can’t work- All workers who have sweated on the The founders of the United Auto reopened, the first thing to go should ers’ representatives and representatives Workers knew very well about classes. be the entire false “identity of interests” of the communities in which factories are They built our unions in violent class bat- introduction. A bold statement of the true located be made the new management of people, students, youth and other work- tles during the 1930s. It was rich versus conditions of class struggle on the shop the Big Three? ers and oppressed people to stand up and poor, bosses versus workers, capitalist floor and the broader community needs Government funds could be used for support the workers at Republic Windows class versus working class. to be proclaimed. plants to be retooled for production of and Doors. Their action may be decisive A hint of this remains in the first Then the autoworkers need to chal- fuel-efficient vehicles. With the need for and may inspire workers at GM, Chrysler paragraphs of the UAW Constitution: lenge the “management’s rights” clause– a massive economic stimulus program and Ford to occupy the factories; students “Managerial decisions have a far reaching paragraph eight of the UAW-GM con- being discussed by the incoming Obama facing higher tuition to occupy their cam- impact upon the quality of life enjoyed by tract–which states: “…the products to be administration, the unions and communi- puses; and people being kicked out of the workers, the family, and the commu- manufactured, the location of the plants, ties can demand government contracts to their homes to occupy their homes with nity. Management must recognize that it the schedules of production, the methods, build mass transit. allies and neighbors. has basic responsibilities to advance the processes and means of manufacturing The highly skilled and disciplined auto- Instead of bailing out the banks, the welfare of the workers and the whole soci- are solely and exclusively the responsibil- workers inside the many plants still in billions of bailout money for banks and ety and not alone to the stockholders. It ity of the Corporation.” existence can quickly adjust to produce automakers and the money being spent is essential, therefore, that the concerns But the corporations have run the busi- whatever is needed to rebuild the failing to wage imperialist wars should go to of workers and of society be taken into ness into the ground. At the very least, infrastructure of the U.S. Many new jobs those who create all the wealth— for jobs, account when basic management deci- management has been irresponsible. The would be created. healthcare, housing and education. sions are made.” crisis facing millions of workers depen- None of this can happen without a These are demands that we should fight Douglas Fraser, International UAW dent upon this industry calls into question struggle. The place to start is with an for and win by any means necessary! president at the time of the first round of their right to continue to manage. The understanding by the autoworkers–and Be like the workers at Republic concessions in the 1970s, decried “the one- UAW Constitution demands that manage- all workers–of their importance and their Windows and Doors: sided class war” being waged against the ment take into account the workers and power as the working class. Seize the time! autoworkers. He identified the character the community in its decision making. Sole worked for GM Fleetwood from All power to the people! of the attacks as being based on antago- Even management knew that they had 1971 until the plant closed in 1987. He is Fight Imperialism, nistic classes. But his formulation showed to do something different when the gov- vested in the GM retirement fund. He is Stand Together he was unwilling to make it a two-sided ernment bailed out Chrysler Corporation currently president of UAW Local 2334 Dec. 7, 2008 class war by fighting back. Every subse- in the late 1970s. In exchange for the first in Detroit. Page 6 Dec. 18, 2008 www.workers.org

Int’l conference strategizes for migrant rights By Teresa Gutierrez justice for her husband. Another tragedy was presented by David Another recurring theme at the confer- Mexico City, Mexico In a statement to the press, Dillman Greene, who also performed hip-hop at ence was linking up with other worldwide stated that she is speaking out wherever the event. Greene was deported to Mexico formations on migration. This included In yet another example of the growing she can—not just for her husband, but so almost two years ago because of a run-in agreeing to join up with the International movement for migrant rights in the U.S. that no more migrants have to go through with the legal system. As a result of a glitch Migrant Alliance, which is based out of the and around the world, a significant and what her husband did. Dillman is white in his adoption papers more than 27 years Philippines but internationally located, as historic conference took place in Mexico and her husband was Mexican. ago, David was deported to Mexico, despite well as MIREDES and the World Social City from Nov. 24 through Nov. 29. Nelly Santos Rosa is from Honduras. having no family whatsoever there or not Forum. The “For a World without Borders: The She organized a caravan of women from knowing a single person in that country. Gutierrez was a presenter at the Second Campaign on Migration & Human that country all the way to Mexico City. He spoke absolutely no Spanish. conference, representing IMA and Rights” conference opened up with a stir- Santos Rosa comes from a poor com- Greene’s case is a tragic example of how the May 1st Coalition for Worker and ring and moving tribute to people who are munity, an area wrecked not only from the incredibly inhumane U.S. immigration Immigrant Rights. facing the brunt of a vicious anti-immi- wave of people who have been forced to policy is. grant attack. The conference was organized migrate but from the tragedy of not know- An Indigenous leader from Guatemala, by the Center for Migration and Human ing what happens to many who leave. María Eliza Orozco, gave a stirring account Rights of the Autonomous University of Many sons and daughters, husbands and of Guatemalan migrants, especially from a Communities challenge the City of Mexico; Camilo Perez Bustillo, mothers are never heard from again. woman’s viewpoint. She ended her com- Mesoamerican Migrant Movement; Casa The conference documented how many ments by declaring that people simply city budget cuts de las Amigos; and Elvira Arellano. migrants die on the railroad trains as can no longer take anymore and that the Continued from page 4 This writer attends many immigrant they jump on, making their way to the struggle must be worldwide and militant. DHS. The center provides youth with rights events. It is safe to say that this U.S. Others are kidnapped and tortured Other speakers included Emma Lozano education, social skills and anti-violence event was unique, full of testimony from or killed. The mothers and families want from Pueblo Sin Fronteras in Chicago, alternatives. A total of 525 people have victims as well as a perspective on fighting to know what happens to those migrants as well as Rev. Walter Coleman from earned their GED because of the center. back, not only in the U.S. but in Mexico who never make it past Mexico. the Adalberto United Methodist Church, A number of these students spoke out and indeed around the world. A running theme of the conference was Rufino Domínguez from Binational Front at a public meeting and explained that The conference was so impactive that to spotlight the inhumane and double of Indigenous Organizations (FIOB) in without the center it was unlikely they hardly a day went by that women and men standard on migrants practiced by the California and Victoria Cintrón from the would have achieved their goals. Students, did not have tears in their eyes. Mexican government. It has become a Mississippi Immigrants’ Rights Alliance. parents, teachers and neighbors marched Presenters included a video message human tragedy that so many migrants are from the center to City Hall. With very from Flor Crisóstomo, an Indigenous brutally victimized by Mexican organized Conference ends little time to mobilize before the January woman who has bravely taken sanctuary crime or the Mexican police, with impu- with a plan of action deadline, they have started petitions and at Adalberto United Methodist Church in nity from the Mexican government. Organizers and attendees were deter- outreach strategies along with a planned Chicago. Crisóstomo gave a stirring mes- Mexican activists at the conference are mined to take the spirit of the conference presence at future DHS and City Council sage, saying that her fight for justice would demanding justice for these families from into action. Several days of events were meetings. go on no matter what. Central America. In fact, one of the key voted on. Cristal Dillman gave a short but heart- supporters and a speaker at the confer- These include a Dec. 18 International Protests target library closings breaking statement. Dillman is the wife of ence was “diputado” and member of the Day of Human Rights; Jan. 21 protests Others are fighting Nutter’s unprec- Luis Eduardo Ramirez, who was beaten to Mexican Congress, José Jacques “Pepe” in front of U.S. embassies in conjunction edented proposal to close 11 of the city’s death by a racist gang in Shenandoah, Pa., Medina. with events in Washington, D.C.; March 54 branch libraries and sell the buildings. several months ago. Her tragedy contin- Jacques “Pepe” Medina is the first 8 International Women’s Day activities Nine of the 11 are in areas where 40 per- ued as she was forced to leave her home appointed member of the Congress to rep- dedicated to women migrants and their cent of the children live below the poverty in Pennsylvania, fleeing to Mexico after resent migrants and comes as a result of a families, and a denunciation of sexual line. Most are in communities of color. police and other thugs continued to taunt, long history of supporting the immigrant trafficking; and worldwide actions on May With fewer than 50 percent of threaten and terrorize her for fighting for struggle both in Mexico and the U.S. Day 2009. Philadelphia schools offering on-site library services, the community libraries Worker trampled to death at store provide the only source of free books, as well as after-school havens with contin- ued learning programs and resources for youth. They are also home to senior activi- Wal-Mart & capitalism to blame ties and book clubs, and are used by near- by preschools. With an estimated half of By Larry Hales get deals that are limited for a few hours $8 per hour. The Food and Commercial the city population having no home com- or one day. Workers union says Wal-Mart workers puters, many people rely on their local The family of Jdimytai Damour, the One mattress company has an outra- have to pay one-fifth of their wages if they branches to do research or look for jobs. 34-year-old immigrant worker who was geous commercial where workers at the want health care coverage. Siobhan Reardon, the head of the trampled to death while working at Wal- store affix mattresses to their bodies, and Wal-Mart is vicious when it comes to Philadelphia Free Library System, claims Mart in Valley Stream, N.Y., has filed a once they open the door they are trampled unions and intimidates, harasses and fires that patrons will receive these services lawsuit against the giant retail chain. by a crowd looking for bargains. workers who openly demand unioniza- elsewhere, but people aren’t buying it. A A huge crowd had come to shop on the The frenzy for deals is manufactured. At tion. Wal-Mart closed a store in Quebec proposal by the Friends of the Library to Friday after “Thanksgiving.” Known as a time of economic crisis, when workers in 2005 after the workers voted for keep these branches open three days a “Black Friday,” it is supposed to be the and the oppressed are looking to secure union representation to win higher wag- week was rejected. busiest shopping day of the year—the consumer goods at low prices—prices es, better health care and a better work Numerous rallies at the branches, each day when retail stores look to become much lower than on most other days—this atmosphere. building on the momentum of the last, profitable for the whole year. The crowd frenzy becomes amplified. Retailers such The Political Affairs article also high- pressured the City Council into pass- broke through a door and overwhelmed as Wal-Mart are well aware of this. lights the low wages subcontract workers ing a nonbinding resolution to delay the the temporary worker, who died from In a Wal-Mart statement after Damour’s around the world make for assembling January closings to allow further analy- asphyxiation. death, the company said in part: “We con- items sold by Wal-Mart—17 cents per sis. Mayor Nutter was also pressured into Damour had been hired at Wal-Mart sider Mr. Damour part of the Wal-Mart hour in Bangladesh, 23 cents per hour holding eight town hall meetings where through a temporary agency and had only family, and are saddened by his death. in Nicaragua and 53 cents per hour in angry protesters challenged city officials. been there for a week. While the police … We have been in communication with Swaziland. On Dec. 6, over 300 people gathered and many media outlets have focused on members of his family to do what we can It is a sick joke for Wal-Mart to claim, for a rally at the Central Branch Library, the crowds, criminalizing them, the law- to help them through this difficult time. “We take care of our own.” The truth is where one woman in the crowd asked if oil suit shows the complicity of Wal-Mart and Our associates know that when incidents closer to what is alleged in the Damour had been discovered under the libraries. rightly blames the retailer for his death. like this occur, we take care of our own.” lawsuit: the retailer “engaged in specific Others questioned government’s priori- It is a sign of the sickness of this soci- But Wal-Mart’s claim rings hollow. marketing and advertising techniques to ties to bail out banks, spend $341.5 million ety that a person could be trampled by a Wal-Mart is the largest employer in the specifically attract a large crowd and cre- each day in Iraq and give huge tax breaks throng of people looking for deals on con- U.S. and one of the largest on the planet. ate an environment of frenzy and mayhem to the city’s wealthiest corporations while sumer goods and that the crowd, in cal- The Walton family are multibillionaires, and was otherwise careless, reckless and foreclosing on homes and trying to take lous disregard of another’s life, continued and their combined fortunes dwarf that of negligent.” away vital services. to shop after being notified of the worker’s even the richest of other families. Wal-Mart cares for one thing only– A leaflet from the Philadelphia Bail Out death. Wal-Mart is notoriously anti-union and profit. It tramples the rights of workers, the People Campaign challenged the city’s This sickness, however, is not some- pays its workers poverty wages. According and it was more concerned with profit tax policies that allow corporations and thing inherent in human nature. It is a to a 2005 article in Political Affairs maga- than with the life of Jdimytai Damour. wealthy citizens to pay little or no prop- sickness born of a system, a system that zine, in 2004 the average full-time worker The profit motive is what the capitalist erty taxes. It noted that nearly $80 million also breeds greed. It is a system where at Wal-Mart received $9.68 per hour before system is built around, and consumerism in revenue could be provided annually by retailers, hoping to procure great profits, taxes. That wage is a liberal estimate. flows from this system, as do other anti- overturning a tax-abatement program air commercials of huge crowds clamor- After the average tax rate, that pay social ills. that gives 8,000 owners of million-dollar ing outside their doors, chanting and yell- falls below the poverty rate for a family of The family is right. Wal-Mart is to condominiums up to 90 percent savings ing to get inside so they can beat others to three. Part-time workers make at the most blame. n on their tax bills for 10 years. n www.workers.org Dec. 18, 2008 Page 7 Inspiring displays of international solidarity at workers’ conference in Tijuana By Bob McCubbin for Worker and Immigrant Rights spoke Left to right: Mike Martinez, FIST; Tijuana, Mexico for Teresa Gutierrez, who was unable to Ernesto Freire, CTC Foreign Relations travel due to illness following a trip abroad. Head Officer; Cheryl LaBash, U.S./ Cuba Labor Exchange; Alicia Jrapko, The fifth Cuba/Venezuela/Mexico/ He observed that the election of Barack Int'l. Ctte. for the Freedom of the Cuban North America Labor Conference, with Obama reflects enormous changes in the Five; Magali Llort, mother of Fernando representation from eight countries U.S. working class. The huge outpouring Gonzalez one of the Cuban Five. and virtually every region of the U.S., of immigrant workers in May 2006 was took place the weekend of Dec. 5-7 in the first indication that Obama could win. Tijuana, Mexico. Sponsors of the con- Holmes noted that the primary reason for ference included the U.S./Cuba Labor the increasing repression of immigrant Exchange; Sindicato Mexicano de workers is their ability to influence non- Electricistas; World Organization for immigrant workers. Holmes emphasized the Right of the People to Healthcare— the necessity for Black and white workers Service Employees International Union to stand with their immigrant sisters and 1199 NY; International Committee for brothers this coming May Day. ww pHoto: Bob McCubbin the Freedom of the Cuban Five; National Ramón Carmona, representing the of the Confederation of Bolivian Workers, ed the proud history of his local, noting Network on Cuba; Venezuela Solidarity World Federation of Trade Unions, provided a detailed description of the that Local 10 organizer Harry Bridges was Network; International Action Center; reported on the May 2008 trade union struggle of the Bolivian workers and peas- himself an immigrant worker who under- Cuba Solidarity New York; Southwest conference in Quito, Ecuador and urged ants, beginning in the year 1982, to free stood the connection between race and Workers Union; and Converjencia de everyone’s attendance at the next con- themselves from the tentacles of imperi- class. Thomas suggested that although los Movimientos de los Pueblos de las ference, which will be held in Brazil. alism. The struggle continues and he con- the workers find it difficult to compete Americas; among others. Carmona concluded his presentation with cluded with the demands, “All bosses out with lobbyists and corporate lawyers who The issue brought up by speaker after the observation that the terrible repres- of Bolivia! U.S. ambassador and USAID defend the rich, we have the ability to take speaker throughout the three-day confer- sion of trade unionists in Colombia is an out of Bolivia!” action at the point of production and must ence, and the theme of the Dec. 5 evening indication of how frightened the capitalist Edgar Sarango, the vice-president of use that weapon. social, was freedom for the Cuban Five and rulers are of the workers. the Confederation of Workers of Ecuador, The Dec. 6 dinner included a program humane visitation rights—especially for Edgar Paez, from the National Board spoke of a 10-year-long crisis in Ecuador: focusing on U.S. political prisoner Mumia Olga Salanueva and Adriana Perez, who of Sinaltrainal, the Colombian union of terrible social instability, divisions among Abu-Jamal, on death row for 27 years and, are denied all access to their loved ones. food industry workers, gave a detailed the workers, political opportunism, devas- following a Supreme Court ruling, once These five heroic Cuban revolutionaries, description of the murderous repres- tating inflation and the consequent emi- again facing the possibility of execution. arrested, tried and imprisoned in the U.S. sion being suffered by workers and trade gration of 2.5 million citizens. The program Hosted by Sabrina Green of International for their efforts to expose the criminal union activists in Colombia. But in the of the present government, led by Rafael Concerned Family and Friends of Mumia plans of counterrevolutionary terrorists face of this state terrorism and a crushing Correa, includes a struggle against corrup- Abu-Jamal, it included a live hookup with based in Miami, must be set free! economic collapse presently affecting mil- tion, the defense of national sovereignty, activist and Move member Ramona Africa, It is the height of hypocrisy on the part lions of Colombians, the working class is institutionalizing the democratic process, and a recorded message to the conference of the U.S. government that these men, fighting back. Paez noted that among the expanding social services and protecting from Mumia himself. who at great personal risk dedicated them- struggles presently underway in Colombia natural resources. Sarango emphasized The Dec. 7 meeting focused on the selves to exposing terrorist activities, have are a work stoppage by truckers and cane that the class struggle will continue as long struggles of immigrant workers and con- been held captive in U.S. federal prisons cutters and a strike by court workers. as classes of rich and poor exist. He con- ference resolutions. Benjamín Prado, for more than 10 years. Magali Llort Ruiz, Representing the Confederation of cluded, “Nothing will stop us!” central committee member of Union del the mother of Fernando González, one Haitian Workers was General Secretary UNITE HERE Western States Joint Barrio, exposed the border wall as an ille- of the Five, spoke on several occasions Paul LouLou Chery, who remarked that Board director and international vice gitimate border, forming part of a U.S. during the conference and was honored Haiti is “the mother of freedom in our president Cristina Vasquez addressed the military strategy that criminalizes work- with several gifts during a presenta- region.” Haiti achieved its independence growing economic catastrophe for work- ers and condemns many to their death for tion by Clarence Thomas, International from France by defeating the racist colo- ers in the U.S. She noted that one in 10 simply seeking work. Longshore and Warehouse Union Local nial power militarily in 1804. But he also families is behind in their mortgage pay- Fernando Castillo of the Mexican 10 Executive Board member. commented that Haiti is the poorest ments or facing foreclosure. She com- Electrical Workers Union described the The Dec. 5 evening program, in a hall country in the hemisphere, with 5 mil- mented that the unions helped Barack struggle of the Cananea miners, whose hung with banners honoring the Five and lion workers but only 200,000 formally Obama get elected. Now “we have our list militant strike sparked the Mexican revo- U.S. political prisoner Mumia Abu-Jamal, employed. The food situation is grave of demands. Immigration reform was first lution of 1910. Their current struggle is included presentations by Cheryl LaBash, following the devastation of recent hur- on the list when we met with the transition challenging the sellout Mexican govern- one of the main conference organizers, ricanes. Solidarity in the form of material team in [Washington,] D.C.” Second on ment and its neoliberal policies, protest- who called on U.S.-based unions to fol- aid is urgently needed. the list is health care for everyone. Third is ing the proposed selling off of the national low the example of British trade unionists Concluding the session, Ignacio an employee free choice act—the so-called oil company and ongoing state repression, who educate and engage workers on the Meneses thanked SEIU Locals 721 and card check. Finally, she emphasized, “No including the recent arrest of Cananea case of the Five; Alicia Jrapko, leader of 1199, and UNITE HERE Western Region, more ‘free trade’ agreements!” miner leader Pavón Campos. the International Committee for Freedom Local 2. It was their enthusiastic assistance Rosie Martinez, chairperson of the Juan Jose Gutierrez, leader of the for the Cuban Five, who condemned the that ensured a successful conference. Latino Caucus of SEIU Local 721, focused Movimiento Latino USA, provided an U.S. government for the heartless punish- Elmer LaBog, chairperson of Kilusang on the exploitation of women workers, overview of where immigration reform ment inflicted on family members of the Mayo Uno, a revolutionary organization calling special attention to the plight of stands with the election of Barack Obama. Five by preventing family visits; Andrés of the Filipino working class, spoke of maquiladora workers. She introduced He spoke of the historic marches of 2006, Morejón of ICAP, the Cuban Institute for the impact of so-called globalization in Hermandad Mexicana leader Gloria the repression that followed and the duty Friendship with the Peoples, who spoke the Philippines: repressive laws, no job Saucedo, who has set up the “Casa de labor unions have to support immigrant of the tremendous solidarity that Cuba security, many violations of International Elvira Arellano,” a shelter in Tijuana for workers’ rights. and the Five have received from organiza- Labor Organization standards, militariza- undocumented workers victimized by The conference completed with a global tions and committees all over the world; tion, assassinations and massacres. The Immigration and Customs Enforcement resolution that continued the unifying pro- and Silvia Garcia, representing the Cuban Filipino workers’ strategies of resistance raids and pushed back into Mexico with cess begun in Ecuador last May with the National Assembly of Peoples Power, who include demonstrations, strikes and cul- no resources. Saucedo received a standing Quito Declaration. There was also a reso- provided details of the legal struggle to tural activities that educate and organize ovation from conference attendees. lution supporting the Republic Window free the Five. Solidarity messages were the workers. Clarence Thomas, executive board and Door workers’ sit-in, an endorsement also read. Mario López Choque, general secretary member of Local 10 of the ILWU, recount- of a May 2009 Workers’ Solidarity Month, The Dec. 6-7 sessions were chaired by support for framed-up ILWU workers conference organizers Cheryl LaBash and and for Mexican miners. The sixth labor Ignacio Meneses, and by SEIU Local 1199 Low-Wage Capitalism conference in Tijuana is planned for Dec. leader Radames Rivera. 2009 to continue uniting workers of all Timely new book by Fred Goldstein describes in sweeping detail the drastic effect on the Ernesto Freire Cazanas, head officer of working class of new technology and the restruc­turing of global capitalism in the post-Soviet the Americas. the Foreign Relations Department of the era. It uses Karl Marx’s law of wages and other findings to show that these developments are This report has focused on the presen- CTC (Cuban Workers Confederation), led not only continuing to drive down wages but are creating the material basis for future social tations of scheduled speakers, but there off the Dec. 6 morning session with dra- upheaval. The analysis rests on three basic developments in the last three decades: was also very active participation on the matic figures highlighting the achieve- • The world’s workforce available to exploitation by transnational capitalist corporations part of the audience. Of special note was doubled in the wake of the collapse of the USSR and Eastern Europe. ments of the Cuban Revolution, both the remarkable translation service provid- • The technological revolutions of the digital age, in both production and communica­ ­tions, domestically and with regard to interna- ed throughout all three conference meet- have allowed transnational corporations to destroy high-wage jobs and simultaneously tional relations. He praised the confer- expand the global workforce­ to generate a worldwide wage competition. ings on Dec. 6 by Miami-based FIST orga- ence for providing the opportunity for • The decline in the economic condition of the workers, driven by the laws of capitalism and nizer Mike Martinez. The reporter would communication among the various coun- the capitalist class, is leading to the end of working-class compromise and retreat and must also like to thank Ben Prado of Unión del tries present. end up in a profound revival of the struggle against capital. Barrio for the additional information pro- Larry Holmes of the May 1st Coalition Order online at www.Leftbooks.com vided for the preparation of this report. n Page 8 Dec. 18, 2008 www.workers.org

Cholera outbreak and medical crisis caused by sanctions Imperialists launch new efforts to topple Zimbabwe government

By Abayomi Azikiwe This statement by Odinga comes less Airbase in Harare yesterday, Namibian and the rest of its founding membership Editor, Pan-African News Wire than one year after large-scale inter-par- Minister of Health and Social Welfare Dr. pool should arouse suspicion [and] force ty violence in that East African nation, Richard Kamwi pledged more medical the masses of Zimbabwe and the rest of Fresh calls have been made for the stemming from disagreements over a supplies to help in the fight against chol- Africa, who are obviously tired of the West overthrow of the elected Zimbabwe gov- national presidential election. Far more era.” (Dec. 8). meddling in our political affairs, not to be ernment headed by President Robert people died and were displaced in Kenya Dr. Kamwi said: “Namibia had been fol- misled.” (Zimbabwe Herald, Dec. 8) Mugabe and the Zimbabwe African than have perished in Zimbabwe in the lowing the health situation in Zimbabwe National Union—Patriotic Front. recent cholera outbreak. Odinga never with concern and I feel we actually delayed The Obama administration Demands for the resignation or forced called for western intervention during the in responding. You (Zimbabweans) and Africa policy removal of the government have been Kenyan crisis of 2007-8, which required deserve this donation. This is the first This new push to overthrow the ZANU- going on for more than a decade. The a negotiated settlement brokered by the consignment from our own stocks and for PF government could be designed to country has been under constant threat AU and others within the international now, we have just brought 60 percent and take action prior to the inauguration of and attack since the government in this community. we will send the remaining 40 percent in President-elect Barack Obama on Jan. 20, former British colony declared that it Others who have called for removal of due course.” 2009. During the early days of his cam- would redistribute land confiscated by the the Zimbabwe government include the South African health officials visited paign in 2008, Obama was criticized by European settler class. pro-western Botswana Foreign Minister Zimbabwe on Dec. 8 to assess the situa- African solidarity forces for making state- A current outbreak of cholera in the Phandu Skelemani. Retired South African tion. Health ministry spokespersons in ments that were perceived as hostile to country, coupled with growing cases of Archbishop Desmond Tutu, a Nobel Peace South Africa said that eight people had the Zimbabwe government. anthrax infections in cattle, has given Prize laureate, has called for the forceful died from cholera in the Limpopo prov- Current Secretary of State Condoleezza Britain, the U.S., European Union and removal of the Mugabe government. ince, which borders Zimbabwe. Reuters Rice stated in early December that it was their allies a false basis for plotting to also claims that cases of cholera have time for President Mugabe to be over- engage in a western-backed regime- Government declares been cited in Mozambique, Botswana and thrown. This provocative and illegal pro- change project against the ZANU-PF, national emergency Zambia. (Dec. 8) posal represents the continuation of the which fought for the national liberation of The ZANU-PF government declared a hostile U.S. policy toward Zimbabwe and Zimbabwe during the 1970s. national emergency on Dec. 4 as a result What caused the crisis? other states in Africa that refuse to follow Zimbabwe Information Minister of the cholera outbreak. The Zimbabwe government and other Washington’s dictates. Sikhanyiso Ndlovu condemned the west- The disease arises from the consump- progressive forces acquainted with the It is important for anti-war and anti- ern propaganda campaign against the tion of unclean drinking water. The gov- region have stated in no uncertain terms imperialist forces in the U.S. and Western government. He pointed to the years of ernment has stated that the imposition that the current crisis is caused by the Europe to reject this new thrust aimed economic blockade and disinformation as of sanctions and the country’s overall imposition of economic sanctions by the at regime change in Zimbabwe. In every the root cause of the humanitarian crisis economic crisis has resulted in the lack western imperialist countries against the state where the U.S., Britain and the EU inside the country. of chlorine and other chemicals to purify ZANU-PF state. have intervened, humanitarian, eco- “Zimbabwe is a sovereign state, with the water systems. Since the implementation of a com- nomic and political crises have developed a president elected in accordance with The cholera outbreak had claimed 563 prehensive land redistribution program which far outstrip the current situation in the constitution of Zimbabwe. No for- lives by Dec. 4. Dr. David Parirenyatwa, in Zimbabwe since 2000, the country Zimbabwe. eign leader, regardless of how powerful the minister of health and child welfare, has endured a blockade; the financ- In Iraq, it has been reported that they are, has the right to call on him to said that problems were compounded by ing of a right-wing opposition party, the more than 1 million people have died as step down on their whim,” Ndlovu told the crisis in the health sector. He said the Movement for Democratic Change; plots a direct result of the U.S. occupation. In Reuters. (Dec. 8) hospitals were in dire need of drugs, food aimed at overthrowing the administra- Afghanistan, resistance forces have charged Leaders of the EU, meeting in Brussels and medical equipment. tion; as well as a well-financed media the U.S./NATO forces with genocide. on Dec. 8, made repeated calls for the “Our central hospitals are literally not campaign designed to vilify President Somalia—where the U.S. encouraged overthrow of the ZANU-PF government. functioning. Our staff is demotivated and Robert Mugabe and the ruling party. and financed an invasion and occupa- In a statement, EU Foreign Policy Chief we need your support to ensure that they The ZANU-PF government has tion by neighboring Ethiopia—has suf- Javier Solana said, “I think the moment start coming to work and our health sys- embarked upon an extensive negotia- fered the worse humanitarian crisis in has arrived to put all the pressure for tem is revived,” Dr. Parirenyatwa said. tion process for the creation of a national Africa, leaving thousands dead and 2 mil- Mugabe to step down.” The government issued an emergency unity government with the opposition lion people displaced both internally and French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who appeal for the importation of medical forces. The key opposition leaders in externally. At present the puppet govern- is currently the head of the EU, remarked equipment, surgical sundries, renal and the Movement for Democratic Change— ment installed by the U.S. is near collapse, at the summit: “I say today that President laundry equipment, x-ray films and boil- Tsvangirai faction have refused to imple- with Ethiopian military forces requesting Mugabe must go. Zimbabwe has suffered ers. Dr. Parirenyatwa noted that short- ment an agreement signed several months approval from the U.S. to flee the country enough.” ages in medical supplies threatened to ago in Harare. The agreement would cre- under growing attacks from the resistance EU leaders took under consideration derail the country’s anti-retroviral pro- ate a broader cabinet and bring in poli- forces throughout the country. a proposal to add more names to a list of gram to HIV patients that has made some ticians who have been supported by the Inside the U.S. itself, working people, Zimbabwean governmental officials who progress in recent years. U.S., Britain and the EU. nationally oppressed and the poor are are banned from traveling inside their “The emergency appeal will help us A so-called “Elders Group,” which is suffering the worst economic crisis since member countries. President Mugabe and reduce the morbidity and mortality asso- financed by western interests including the Great Depression. In November, more other leading Zimbabwe cabinet ministers ciated with the current socio-economic British billionaire Sir Richard Branson than 530,000 workers were thrown out of are not allowed to visit these European environment by December 2009. We are and rock star Peter Gabriel, has received their jobs. Nearly 10 million workers are countries, many of which are former hoping that within the next 12 months we US$18 million toward a recent effort employed part-time because they cannot slave-owning and colonial states. would have achieved the package,” Dr. aimed at influencing the political situa- find full-time jobs. Financial institutions French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouch­ Parirenyatwa said. (Zimbabwe Herald, tion on the African continent. Led by for- and industrial facilities are being propped ner told Reuters that an intervention was December 4). mer U.S. President Jimmy Carter, retired up by the taxpayers, who are growing necessary: “Cholera is killing. We need The government has taken measures Archbishop Tutu and Graca Machel, the poorer every month. international intervention for this matter, to reverse the situation. According to the group is in partnership with the Bridgeway Nearly 50 million people in the U.S. are not a military one, but a strong interven- Zimbabwe Herald: “The Government has Foundation and Humanity United. without medical coverage. Hospitals have tion to stop this cholera epidemic, which acquired 505 tonnes of aluminum sul- African-American solidarity activist been closing for the last two years, while could allow for other things.” (Dec. 8) phate and pledged a further US$1 million Obi Egbuna explains: “While the foun­der the defense budget is in excess of $720 Zimbabwe has accused Britain of plan- a week towards the procurement of water of Bridgeway Foundation, John Mont­ billion. ning an invasion. Judging from recent treatment chemicals with some Harare gomery, started the group in 1993 after Consequently, the U.S. and the imperi- statements issued by the regime of Prime suburbs having started receiving water hearing a preacher in church discuss the alist states have no moral right to dictate Minister Gordon Brown, this, it seems, supplies on December 1.” (Dec. 4) work of Amnesty International, Humanity policy to Zimbabwe or any other African is in all likelihood in the works. British The neighboring Republic of Namibia United is directly and openly affiliated country. Only the creation of a workers’ Foreign Minister David Miliband said, has been the first country to respond to with the Genocide Prevention Task Force and peoples’ government in the U.S. can “There is a crying need for change in the national emergency. The government co-chaired by former U.S. Secretary of create the conditions for genuine interna- Zimbabwe.” of President Hifikepunye Pohamba has Defence William Cohen and former U.S. tional peace and reconciliation between Other pro-western political leaders on donated water purification chemicals, Secretary of State Madeline Albright.” the peoples of the U.S. and the global the continent have followed the imperi- drugs and medical equipment valued at “This task force is jointly convened by community. n alist lead. Kenyan Prime Minister Raila US$200,000. the U.S. Holocaust Museum, American Odinga has called upon the African Union, According to the Herald, “Handing Academy of Diplomacy and the U.S. What YOU should know about the an organization of all independent states, over the donation which included malaria Institute of Peace, which is directly fund- hidden war in Congo–past & present to send military forces into Zimbabwe and treatment drugs, antibiotics, needles and ed by the U.S. Congress. The timing of By Abayomi Azikiwe Reprinted from WW drips to the Government at Manyama the ‘Elders’ decision to visit Zimbabwe forcefully remove the government. Order online at www.Leftbooks.com www.workers.org Dec. 18, 2008 Page 9 Puppet gov’t signs SOFA deal, Iraqi people reject it

By John Catalinotto the mass pressure against SOFA. to SOFA within Iraq—even within the through many organizations, continues. The SOFA agreement would systemize puppet parliament—the U.S. was forced In a statement released Nov. 27, the The Bush administration has managed the U.S. military occupation of Iraq, which to concede some points on paper that Political Council of the Iraqi Resistance to bribe, bully and shove its Status of Forces up to now has been allowed by a United restored what looked like a bit of sover- said it “rejects this illegal agreement, as Agreement down the throats of the Iraqi Nations resolution. SOFA is allegedly eignty to the Iraqis. well as all the agreements made in the parliament. About 54 percent of the pres- aimed at getting U.S. troops out of Iraq As is so often the case in sticky diplo- shadow of the occupation, by the hand ent members of this puppet body voted to by 2011. However, it allows U.S. bases to macy, however, some of the more difficult of a government that is no more than support SOFA on Nov. 27; many members stay indefinitely, gives U.S. companies points were presented in language vague a creation of the occupier and does not were absent. On Dec. 4 the puppet Iraqi the main access to Iraq’s vast deposits of enough to allow different interpretations. represent the popular will of our patient presidential council signed the treaty. crude oil, and puts U.S. military forces in a U.S. officials admitted Nov. 25 that sev- people.” Those who constitute the main part position to strike at Iraq’s neighbors, like eral of the provisions were vague, includ- In an open letter to the Iraqi people, of the armed and unarmed resistance to Syria and Iran, and intimidate the rest of ing one that “bans the launch of attacks on the Association of Muslim Ulemas of Iraq the U.S. occupation—what the corporate the Middle East and East Africa. other countries from Iraq, a requirement wrote: “The occupation is going to contin- media call the “Sunni resistance”—have The SOFA agreement, signed by the to notify the Iraqis in advance of U.S. mili- ue, which is why it is logical and natural to made it clear that the Iraqi people will outgoing George W. Bush gang, doubles tary operations and the question of Iraqi think that the resistance will continue its continue to fight against the forces gov- the 16-to-18-month limit on the U.S. legal jurisdiction over American troops struggle. … This means that Iraq will not erning Baghdad’s Green Zone. occupation promised by President-elect and military contractors.” (McClatchy, experience peace, that the bleeding will In addition, the mass organization Barack Obama during his campaign. Nov. 26) not stop, that the U.S. will continue bomb- identified with Shia cleric Moqtada al- SOFA also leaves about 50,000 Iraqis, The U.S. even withheld the official ing and carrying out pillages and arrests, Sadr—which participates in the occupa- many of them from Sunni communities, English translation of the agreement until with the excuse that they are fighting peo- tion parliament—not only voted against in prisons that the U.S. would turn over to after the Nov. 27 parliamentary vote. It ple beyond the margins of the law. We will the treaty but noisily disrupted during the the puppet Iraqi regime. This regime con- was an attempt to keep a dispute over the live these next years like past ones.” vote. It also brought 20,000 people into siders all those prisoners to be enemies. interpretation of SOFA from breaking out Abu Mohamed, political spokesperson the streets to condemn the U.S. occupa- Even people with little or no direct partici- in a public debate before the decision. for the Jihad and Liberation Front, close tion and SOFA. pation in the resistance, arrested in U.S. to the Ba’ath Party, said, “SOFA is noth- A referendum of all Iraqis must be held sweeps, could face death squads. Iraqis protest ing more than a U.S. decision; it is not an by mid-2009 to ratify SOFA. This refer- Even the puppet Iraqi parliament could accord between two equal parties, between endum was a concession to some of the U.S. had to disguise SOFA barely get a majority to accept the pact. two independent states.” (These three political forces in Iraq that are sensitive to Because there was so much resistance And the popular resistance to it, expressed quotes are from iraqsolidaridad.org.) n Surge in GI/vet resistance and support By Dee Knight the Hellfire missiles” and “buildings and infrastructures being destroyed, I began Signs of a surge in GI resistance have to feel ashamed about what I was doing. emerged recently. The surge is matched “I am remorseful for my contribution by strong expressions of support from to these heinous acts, and I swear that I people in the U.S. and elsewhere. will never make these mistakes again.” In Germany, Army Specialist André “When enlisting,” he commented, “I Shepherd asked for asylum on Nov. 27. took an oath to ‘support and defend the The 31-year-old African-American served Constitution of the United States against in Iraq between September 2004 and all enemies, foreign and domestic.’ I had February 2005 as an “Apache” helicopter to choose between ignoring my beliefs and mechanic. He has been living underground leaving the military illegally. For me, the in Germany since going AWOL last year. correct path was clear: I had to leave.” Shepherd has had strong support from Shepherd is applying for asylum in the Germany-based Military Counseling Germany, where the Nuremberg trials Network, Stop the War Brigade and took place 60 years ago. “One of the main Connection eV, as well as Iraq Veterans things that were established during these Against the War—especially IVAW- trials,” he observed, “was that one cannot Germany. defend one’s actions by claiming to have His lawyer, Reinhard Marx, observes merely been following orders. that under a 2004 European directive— “If I had stayed in the U.S. Army and now part of German law—that a country continued to participate in the wars in must grant asylum to military resisters Iraq and Afghanistan, I could not legally if the conflicts they are fleeing from are argue that I was ‘just doing my job.’ Here being conducted in an unlawful manner. in Germany it was established that every- “Legally, his prospects are looking very one, even a soldier, must take responsi- PHOTO: IVAW/Germany good,” Marx said. A German federal court bility for his or her actions, no matter how PFC André Shepherd, Darnell Stephen Summers from Germany’s Stop the War Brigade, ruled in 2005 that the U.S. war in Iraq many superiors are giving orders.” and Chris Capps, IVAW regional organizer for Europe. violates international law. Chris Capps, If successful, Shepherd’s application IVAW regional organizer for Europe, will create a precedent for the U.S. mili- returning to Fort Drum, he was unable to L.’s request to be assigned to a Warrior reports that “André is having his first tary in Germany. After Iraq, the second- get mental health care and eventually left Transition Unit and either get special hearing Tuesday, Dec. 9, and he will be largest Pentagon presence overseas is the base in search of adequate treatment. treatment or be dismissed was rejected writing a post on our blog.” (www.ivaw- housed there: 66,000 active-duty per- He returned to Fort Drum with a psycho- by the base commander. Instead, he was europe.blogspot.com) sonnel. As an asylum seeker, Shepherd is logical evaluation, prepared by a Houston ordered to return to his unit, which is Shepherd’s asylum application is the now under the protection of the German trauma specialist, stating that he suffers slated to re-deploy to Afghanistan later first such move by a U.S. war resister in federal government. from “a severe post-traumatic stress dis- this month. Europe since the U.S. invaded and occu- order and a major depression, severe,” Warrior Transition Units have been pied Iraq and Afghanistan. PTSD GI demands treatment according to attorney Ensign, who is also set up at all military bases in the U.S. to “I could not in good conscience con- Meanwhile, at Fort Drum in upstate director of Citizen Soldier, a GI/veterans’ handle soldiers with physical or mental tinue to serve,” Shepherd said at a news New York, Private Trevor L., 22, of Austin, rights advocacy group based in New York injuries. “The problem is they only have conference. (Reuters, Nov. 27) “We have Tex., turned himself in on Dec. 4 demand- City. (blip.tv/file/1553993, Dec. 8) space for half as many soldiers as the destroyed nations, killed leaders, raided ing treatment for severe post-traumatic Following the example of several other number who need them,” Ensign said. homes, tortured, kidnapped, lied, and stress disorder. He was accompanied by U.S. cities, Ithaca’s Common Council on The Army Times reported on Nov. 4 that manipulated not just citizens and leaders his lawyer, Tod Ensign, and had request- Oct. 1 had unanimously proclaimed the the number of such units was expanded of our enemies, but of our allies as well. ed the support of the Common Council of city a “Community of Sanctuary” that in October “in the wake of reports about “It is a sickening feeling to realize that Ithaca, N.Y., where he had spoken to sup- “respects the right of its residents to sup- poor conditions at Walter Reed Army I took part in what was basically a daily porters the night before. port lawfully and proactively military Medical Center in Washington, D.C., slaughter of a proud people.” Private L. served 15 months with a unit personnel ... who are organizing to stop including shoddy housing and bureau- He added that after he “heard about of the 10th Mountain Division in combat the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.” (The cratic delays for outpatients there.” people being ripped to shreds from the in Afghanistan where he suffered seri- Ithaca Journal, Oct. 2) Ensign intends to press for an adminis- machine guns or being blown to bits by ous mental and physical injuries. Upon Ensign told Workers World that Private trative discharge for Private L. n Page 10 dec. 18, 2008 www.workers.org Never forget Greece: Fred Hampton ‘Cops, pigs, murderers’ & Mark Clark By Stephen Millies hen two cops gunned down the masses of people at this cop outrage. Thirty-nine years ago Black Panther 15-year-old Alexandros Gri- The Communist Party (KKE), with a Party leaders Fred Hampton and Mark Wgoropoulos in central Athens, revolutionary history and a mass base, Clark were assassinated in Chicago on Dec. the Greek people greeted this assault organized a protest on Dec. 8 along these 4, 1969, in a pre-dawn police raid on West with an uprising from northern Salonika lines that led to further clashes. A general Monroe Street. President Richard Nixon, to the southern island of Crete. Hundreds strike called for Dec. 10 to raise gen- FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover, Chicago of thousands of people took to the streets eral workers’ demands has now added Mayor Richard J. Daley for the next four days, burning garbage demands regarding the killing of the and Cook County State’s Fred Hampton, above, was 21, barrels to make barricades and trashing Greek teenager. Attorney Edward Hanrahan and Mark clark, left, 17 when anything connected to the Greek state. With the memory of Sean Bell and the they were gunned down. were responsible. The cops’ killing an unarmed youth dozens of African-American, Latin@ and At least 28 members of pages of information on him. intersects a workers’ struggle to defend other oppressed and working-class youth the Black Panther Party That’s how dangerous he their interests during the economic crisis. gunned down in the U.S., the progres- were killed as a result of the was to the capitalists. Cops On the defensive from the mass rebel- sive movement here and the workers’ FBI’s COINTELPRO exter- fired additional bullets into lion, the center-right government has movement in particular should express mination program, which Hampton’s head to make charged one of the cops with murder. its solidarity to the Greek workers, youth was approved by the Nixon sure he was dead. The Police Association apologized to the and people who are demanding justice administration. In a 2006 interview with Grigoropoulos family. But this has not following the murder of Alexandros The Chicago Tribune ran WW reporter Eric Struch, stopped the righteous people’s rebellion. Grigoropoulos. We say along with the photos of a door suppos- Fred Hampton Jr. talked The organized workers’ movement is Greek demonstrators, “down with the edly filled with bullet holes about his father and Chicago: backing up the spontaneous uprising of cops, pigs, murderers.” n to prove that the police were fired upon. “In this city, in particular, the names do Upon examination these holes turned out not even change, and the actual criminals, to be nails. There is an ongoing struggle to how they have been rewarded, they have Fighting for the right to jobs and justice rename Monroe Street after Hampton, a been elevated. There is no better exam- move bitterly fought by the local cops. ple that we can lay out than the present Hampton grew up in Maywood, a Black mayor of Chicago and the former state’s Republic workers occupy suburb just west of Chicago. A natural attorney, Richard Daley, who is the son of leader, Hampton became a revolution- gangster Daley Sr., who during his tenure Chicago plant ary and infused every- was responsible for how the one around him with his assassinations of Chairman Continued fron page 1 all of the assets held by Bank of America. optimism. Workers World Fred and Mark Clark had by which its products are produced. After This is a monumental victory, which was Hampton was a tre- commentary went down.” investing their sweat and labor in running only won through the hard-fought strug- mendous organizer who Hampton Sr. used to say, the factory, it has become their property gle of the Republic workers. helped make the Illinois Black Panther “You can kill the revolutionary, but you right. On Dec. 8 in Charlotte, N.C., at Bank of Party chapter the largest in the country. can’t kill the revolution.” We must not let The Republic workers’ struggle has elic- America’s world headquarters, members I remember a 1969 Chicago rally to free the wealthy execute Mumia Abu-Jamal, ited support from labor and community of UE Local 150 and about 20 commu- Panther Chairman Bobby Seale where six who was 15 years old when he helped form allies from across the country. The Bail nity supporters rallied in support of the buses came from the small Black commu- the Philadelphia chapter of the Black Out the People Movement announced a Republic workers to demand that Bank of nity of Rockford, Ill. Panther Party. week of action from Dec. 8-13, calling for America extend the loan needed to reopen Cops busted Hampton for handing out If Hampton and Clark were alive today, local actions at Bank of Americas across the factory. Workers traveled from across hundreds of ice cream bars to kids. While they would be with the courageous work- the country to demand the bank use the the state to lead a spirited demonstration in jail, Hampton won over the leader of ers occupying the Republic Windows fac- $25 billion of taxpayers’ money to give in front of the bank, which evoked strong the Young Lords to revolutionary politics. tory in Chicago. these workers their jobs back. support from passersby. Hampton was only 21 years old when he The writer attended the funeral of In addition to labor and community UE 150 attempted to deliver a letter died, yet the FBI had already over 4,000 Hampton and Clark. support, President-elect Barack Obama, supporting the members of UE Local Illinois Rep. Luis Guiterrez, members of 1110 to bank executives and CEO Kenneth the Chicago City Council, Jessie Jackson of Lewis, but members and supporters were walked across the U.S./Mexico border to Elder Eusi Kwayana, a local activist, the Rainbow PUSH coalition, Cook County met by bank security and Charlotte police be a part of this gathering. This made the member of the Langston Hughes Poetry officials and Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich when they stepped into the building. meeting truly international, linking the Circle and a native of Guyana, spoke have all come out in support of the work- Nonetheless, their message of support for struggle to free Mumia with the struggles about a letter that he wrote in May to the ers’ struggle. Gov. Blagojevich has even the workers was heard loud and clear by of the many countries in Latin America Brazilian government concerning the dis- instructed the entire state of Illinois, and the executives at Bank of America. and the Caribbean that were represented appearance of Haitian civil rights activ- is calling on other government entities, to Strobino is an organizer with UE at the conference. ist Lovinski Pierre-Antoine. Kwayana divest from Bank of America and to freeze Local 150. Sylvia Telefaro of AAWA opened the was central in bringing together Afro- discussion by saying, “We are all warriors Guyanese and Indo-Guyanese people on the ground—stepping up the struggle during Guyana’s independence struggle. U.S. activists in solidarity with to free Mumia.” Speakers included John Kwayana said that what the state is trying Parker, Los Angeles International Action to do to Mumia is “a lynching.” Center; Sabrina Green, Free the Move 9 Zola Mohammad spoke of the struggle political prisoner, Mumia Abu-Jamal and International Concerned Family & to free freedom fighters Imam Jamil and Leonard Peltier. Dianne Mathiowetz of oner Rasheem Matthews, told how they Friends of Mumia Abu-Jamal; and Paul Continued on page 3 Atlanta said, “Let us not forget Troy Davis. tracked down the witnesses who testified LouLou Chery, general secretary of the chair of the Cleveland chapter of the We send revolutionary greetings to the falsely against Matthews and urged the Federation of Haitian Workers. Dave New Black Panther Party. Devin Branch Cuban 5 and all political prisoners.” audience to pack the courtroom during Welsh of the Haiti Action Committee of the Cleveland October 22 Organizing Jim Moreno, a poet with the Langston Matthews’ new trial. was scheduled to speak and interpret Committee described Abu-Jamal’s frame- Hughes Poetry Circle who attended the Artists from the Hip Hop Workshop, for Chery, but was delayed at the border up and the important aspects of his legal Tijuana conference, recited a poem that a project aimed at keeping youth out of to support a Haitian brother, Benissiot case. was inspired when he talked to LouLou gangs while creating music without offen- Docios, who was detained. (Docios was Rev. Nozomi Ikuta and Yahya Abdus- Chery. One question in the poem con- sive language, provided poetry, dance, allowed through Customs only after he sabur spoke about the situation of the cerned the hunger of the people of Haiti, rap and hip-hop. The event was seen as a paid a “fine” of hundreds of dollars.) Puerto Rican freedom fighters still in to which Chery responded that the people step toward a broader campaign on prison Parker spoke about how important it is prison and the frame-up of Imam Jamil hunger for the return of democratically issues. to link up the issues of people all over the Abdullah Al-Amin (the former H. Rap —Sharon Danaan world, stressing that Mumia’s essays are elected president Bertrand Aristide. Brown). about this type of solidarity. Parker noted Chery spoke of solidarity and unity and Messages of solidarity from prisoners SAN DIEGO that Mumia rarely writes about himself. the work that is taking place to build the falsely convicted in connection with the On Dec. 7, the African American Artists Green gave an update on the Move 9 and Federation of Haitian Workers (CTH). He 1993 Lucasville prison uprising were read. and Writers hosted an Evening of Solidarity initiated a phone call to Pam Africa, who said that Haiti is a poor country with a The audience cheered recent victories in to Free Mumia Abu-Jamal at the Malcolm applauded the solidarity action. Africa strong and rich history. the campaign for the Lucasville prisoners X Library in Southeast San Diego. gave an update on Mumia’s case and a A group photo from the meeting will be as counted out by Sharon Danann of the A number of attendees left the Cuba/ Dec. 6 march in Philadelphia. On The sent to Mumia. Lucasville Uprising Freedom Network. Venezuela/Mexico/North American Move showed a video by Hans Bennett — Gloria Verdieu Jackie Thomas, spouse of Lucasville pris- Labor Conference in Tijuana early and (see www.abu-jamal-news.com). www.workers.org Dec. 18, 2008 Page 11

Nepal, scientific socialism and people’s war

Excerpts from a talk given by running police posts and army barracks quite significant. lated—the Soviet Union no David Hoskins at the WWP National and freeing political prisoners from jails. The recent politi- longer exists, China no lon- Conference, Nov. 15-16. As a result, the king restored the parlia- cal developments in ger actively supports armed On Aug. 15 Nepal’s Constituent ment, which promptly ordered the arrest Nepal are a vindi- revolutionary movements, Assembly elected—with 80 percent of the of five of Gyanendra’s high-ranking cabi- cation of scientific and Cuba still struggles every vote—Maoist party chairman Prachanda net officials, declared Nepal a secular state, socialism and the day just to defend its 50-year- as the country’s prime minister. and stripped the monarchy of its control strategy of people’s old socialist revolution. The Prachanda’s election comes after 12 of the armed forces. By June negotiators war. Not since the Maoist leadership is well years of intense political struggle. The from the Maoist party and the coalition South African lib- aware of the obstacles they Maoist party is Nepal’s largest party and government had reached an agreement to eration struggle first face and have called upon is immensely popular with the masses. establish a new interim government and defeated apartheid revolutionary forces world- For more than a decade the party led an constitution and to hold elections to the and then brought wide to support the Nepalese armed struggle that toppled the monarchy Constituent Assembly. Nelson Mandela and revolution. and led to the creation of a Constituent The abolition of Nepal’s 240-year- the African National The state of the revolution- ww Photo: Gary Wilson Assembly tasked with drafting a new old monarchy eradicated the political Congress to power in David Hoskins ary movement in Asia takes constitution. foundation of a brutal caste society that 1994, has an armed on new significance in light of The Maoists placed first in the April has impoverished the Nepalese masses. struggle succeeded in bringing about a the recent advances made in Nepal and Constituent Assembly elections. The first Nepal ranks among the 50 poorest coun- political revolution. the rising global capitalist crisis. Merrill historic meeting of that assembly cul- tries in the world. Eighty-five percent of Nepal’s Constituent Assembly elections Lynch chief, John Thain, recently admit- minated in the total abolition of Nepal’s the population lives in rural areas without and the Maoists’ first place victory, the ted that emerging markets—like those monarchy and the declaration of Nepal as dependable electricity, running water or abolition of monarchy and establishment in the Philippines and India—will not be a federal democratic republic. basic sanitation. of a democratic republic, are the successes spared from this crisis since all equity From 1996 to 2006 the People’s Malnutrition is rampant among chil- of a socialist-led armed political revolu- markets are linked, and each individual Liberation Army was successful in lib- dren and one-third of the population lives tion. The Maoists were able to accom- economy will be affected according to its erating 80 percent of the countryside. below the official poverty line. Literacy plish these goals despite firm support for reliance on global trade and commerce. Revolutionaries erected parallel state runs a little less than 50 percent and only Nepal’s feudal monarchy by the United As the crisis escalates in these emerging structures in the liberated zones that pro- 35 percent among women. Nepal’s infant States, Britain and India. economies, the necessary conditions for vided justice against corrupt landowners mortality rate is 62 deaths per 1,000 live Nepal’s revolution is at a sensitive junc- the advancement of armed struggle may through revolutionary courts. They built births, compared to five deaths per 1,000 ture—land reform has yet to be addressed. become more favorable. Dedicated, expe- roads and clean wells for drinking water, in socialist Cuba. There is extreme pressure from opposi- rienced revolutionaries exist throughout and provided healthcare to the poor. Almost half the country is unemployed. tion parties to return all properties seized Asia ready to push the struggle forward In April 2006 the revolutionaries joined Poor living conditions fueled the militant during the course of the people’s war, and in such an event. hands with a coalition of parliamentary consciousness of the masses and paved the the Maoists are attempting to integrate The revolutionaries in Nepal are mak- parties in calling for a countrywide gener- way for the Maoists to enjoy a mass base their people’s army with the former Royal ing daring contributions to the inter- al strike against the ex-king, Gyanendra. of support for the revolution. Even though Nepalese Army, potentially leaving the national socialist revolution. It is our The strike was backed by the revolution- it is a small, semifeudal, landlocked coun- masses defenseless if a royalist counter- responsibility as U.S. revolutionaries to ary arms of the PLA which had launched a try of only 29 million, the advances made revolution is attempted. offer our unconditional support to the daring offensive across the country—over- during 12 years of Nepal’s revolution are Internationally the revolution is iso- Nepalese revolution. n Organize the South!

and Wachovia, are headquartered there. There are fewer union members in all in supporting many workers’ struggle. Housing foreclosures disproportionately the 11 Southern states combined than In North Carolina, there has been great affect people in the South. there are in the single state of New York. motion around fighting for a People’s In 2009, Alabama will be the larg- Still, over the last few years the trend in Agenda with a coalition of 81 organiza- est auto-producing state in the country. the South has been toward some high- tions, including UE 150 and BWFJ and

D u n ke l Major transportation hubs, roads and profile labor campaigns that have gotten spearheaded by the NAACP, but led by infrastructure are being developed partic- international attention. other organizations of oppressed people

photo: G. photo: ularly in Texas to facilitate trade among Many if not most of these struggles and workers.

ww the U.S., Canada and Mexico without involve immigrant workers. Recent strug- In February 2007 and again in 2008, Dante Strobino having to use heavily unionized ports gles include the Houston janitors orga- 5,000 to 7,000 oppressed people and Excerpted from a talk given by with militant workers. nizing and the Service Employees union workers took to the streets around this Dante Strobino at the WWP National The South is the home of the military- winning a city-wide union contract that agenda, which includes collective bargain- Conference, Nov. 15-16. industrial complex. Thirty-five to 45 per- will more than double the wages of over ing for public workers, addressing rac- Barack Obama won the popular vote cent of U.S. troops come from the South. 5,300 janitors and their families. The ist chapters of North Carolina’s history, in North Caro­lina by 11,000 votes. This Fifty-six percent of troops are based in Farm Labor Organizing Committee had a jobs, uplifting historically Black colleges, is the first time a Democrat won the the South, which is the only region where recent victory over Mt. Olive Pickles, cov- health insurance, immigrant rights and to state’s electoral college votes since 1976. the number of troops is expanding. Forty- ering over 7,000 migrant workers. And end the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Democrat Kay Hagan won the race two to 50 percent of defense contractors FLOC has a current campaign against RJ Since the last march, Black Workers for for U.S. Senate, defeating incumbent are headquartered in the South. North Reynolds Tobacco. Justice has been pushing for and building Republican Elizabeth Dole, for the seat Carolina is the most military-friendly Over the last two years the Immokalee local People’s Assemblies throughout the once occupied by deeply racist, segrega- state. Workers fighting for agricultural work- state. In Raleigh we have held four assem- tionist Sen. Jesse Helms, who held the With all this intense development of ers in southern Florida, mostly in tomato blies, the first with over 100 people. These post for 30 years. This seat had been in industry, the military and capital, there is fields, have won better wages after con- assemblies have been composed of rank- the hands of Republicans since 1973. still a huge base of poor and unorganized fronting Taco Bell and Yum Brands, then and-file workers, churchgoers and folks This change has happened for a num- workers who continue to become poorer. McDonald’s. And very recently they won who otherwise have never been involved ber of reasons. I am going to focus on the North Carolina has faced the most manu- against Burger King. in organizing or fighting back. conditions in the South–the flux of capi- facturing job losses in the country in the In North Carolina, workers at Smithfield We leafleted and built for these assem- tal through the South, job loss as a result past decade due to outsourcing of textiles. Hog Slaughtering Plant–the world’s larg- blies at every Obama rally, at college cam- of the unorganized workforce and the Then, in October, Pilgrim Pride est hog slaughtering facility–have been puses, at workplaces, in our union meet- vibrant movement growing in the South. announced it was about to close shop struggling for 15 years for a contract. They ings. Assemblies have also taken place The South is the fastest-growing region and gut 20,000 poultry jobs in North recently entered negotiations with man- in Chapel Hill and Rocky Mount, and in the country. Nine new political districts Carolina. Last year, Pilgrim Pride was agement after several powerful strikes, other forces are stepping in and building will be drawn here in the 2010 census. subject to ICE raids across the country and after ICE raids designed to intimi- around the People’s Agenda. This means nine electoral college votes that detained hundreds of immigrant date them. In December there will be a Southern will be shifted to the South. workers. And the company closed a huge Then there is a struggle that I am cur- Human Rights Organizing Conference South Carolina has the fastest grow- poultry plant in Siler City with mostly rently in the middle of: public-sector work- in Durham, N.C., attracting workers, ing immigrant population in the coun- Latin@ workers. ers with UE Local 150 in North Carolina community members, students, youth, try. North Carolina and Tennessee are Now that workers in Moncure are on and Local 160 in Virginia. These are the faith-based organizations and many from next. Most African Americans live in the strike at their plywood factory, the bosses two states that alone deny public sector throughout the South to continue this South. have hired the fired poultry workers to workers the right to collectively bargain. process. We will be touring the Duplin Nationally, half of capital invested these cross the picket line. As Black workers Groups like the Black Workers for County hog lagoons on African-American days is not in production, but in finance. walk the picket line, Latin@ workers are Justice and the Mississippi Workers land and discussing a movement fighting Charlotte, N.C., is the largest center of brought in right in front of them. This pit- Center have been involved in vibrant, environmental racism. finance capital in the country. Bank of ting of Black workers against Latin@s is visible campaigns that have galvanized Comrades, it is time to organize the America, which just bought Countrywide not a new trick. the community and religious leaders South! n Mhndo Obrero ¡Proletarios y oprimidos de todos los países, uníos! Las contradicciones del imperialismo estadounidense

Por Sara Flounders Hoy Estados Unidos ación comenzaron la próxima guerra. bardeado Gaza una y otra vez. Aún así l@s Observemos algunas está en guerra Esta semana un conjunto militar de luchador@s palestin@s han construido de las contradicciones del contra el mundo suministros de los EEUU, con protección cientos de túneles y han demolido barre- imperialismo de Estados Mientras más conect- de helicópteros y satélites de vigilancia ras en la frontera. Unidos, un sistema en emos la guerra, el presu- en la estratosfera, fue secuestrado en el Durante el verano, hubo huelgas masi- declive y en serio estado puesto militar que es un Paso Khyber mientras estaba todavía en vas en Corea del Sur que cerraron industri- de deterioro. Hay una rescate para las grandes Pakistán. El Paso Khyber es la vena yugu- as, embarques y puertos. Aún en las mani- crisis de todas las insti- corporaciones del país y el lar de la OTAN –un 75 por ciento de todos festaciones contra la importación de carne tuciones capitalistas. rescate de los bancos con los abastecimientos pasan por esta estre- de res estadounidense, millones alzaron la Ni siquiera sabemos los las movilizaciones en con- cha y difícil vía montañosa de 30 millas. demanda política de que se fueran inme- niveles de enfermedad tra de los recortes que l@s Hace siete años las fuerzas militares diatamente las tropas estadounidenses. y descomposición del trabajador@s enfrentan, de los EEUU tomaron Afganistán sin Estados Unidos tiene ahora más de 700 sistema basado en déca- más ayudamos a desarrol- una sola baja estadounidense. Ahora han bases, y está buscando dónde establecer das de colosales subsi- Mo foto: G. Dunkel lar la conciencia de clase. perdido el control de partes enteras de más en África y en el sur de Asia. Pero dios que el inmenso presupuesto militar Estados Unidos es el país más rico del Pakistán, un país inestable de 170 mil- desde las Islas Filipinas a Polonia y de la estadounidense representa. mundo, con una gran capacidad produc- lones de personas, y tienen problemas República Checa a Ecuador las demandas La clase dominante estadounidense está tiva, pero es un país con un presupuesto abasteciendo a sus fuerzas en Afganistán. son “Fuera las bases estadounidenses.” tratando desesperadamente de imponerse militar tan inflado y devastador, que todos Su única respuesta es lanzar más bombas Ahora cada competidor capitalista ya no y revertir sus infortunios. Pero cada esfu- los programas sociales posibles han sido y más cohetes. está de acuerdo con aceptar las maniobras erzo confirma su debilidad y profundiza la ya recortados hasta la médula. La expec- Pensemos en Irak: Hoy, más de la desesperadas y discordantes de la política crisis. Ya no tienen la influencia económi- tativa de vida, la mortandad infantil, y los tercera parte de la población iraquí está estadounidense. Los aliados imperialistas ca para respaldar su posición global. estándares de salud y vida en los EEUU muerta, herida, deshabilitada, encarcela- europeos han retirado tropas de Irak, están ¿Cuál debe ser el planteamiento para actualmente están por debajo de todos da, desplazada internamente o refugiada en vías de retirar tropas de Afganistán y las fuerzas revolucionarias aquí en el cen- los demás países industrializados, y están en otro lugar. Esta es la gran victoria del rehusaron respaldar a los Estados Unidos tro de este sistema que se descompone? cayendo a una rapidez acelerada. “surge”, el incremento de las tropas esta- en Georgia. Estamos a favor de la derrota de esta Alrededor del mundo, la brecha entre dounidenses en Irak el año pasado. La nueva y emergente clase capitalista clase de piratas, ladrones, saqueadores y los súper ricos, los dueños de las corpo- El sentimiento en contra de la ocu- rusa se imaginaba que iba a ser aliada de todos los mercenarios cínicos que tra- raciones gigantescas, y las miles de mil- pación entre l@s iraquíes es más fuerte del imperialismo estadounidense en la bajan para ellos. Una victoria de las fuerzas lones de personas que están viviendo en que nunca mientras las condiciones de explotación a largo plazo de las enormes de resistencia en cualquier parte del mun- condiciones de miseria está más ancha vida están más que desesperadas. industrias que habían pertenecido al esta- do fortalece a la clase trabajadora en una que nunca antes en la historia del mundo. Estas eran las guerras de apertura para do socialista. escala global, incluyendo aquí en el centro Doscientos multimillonarios son dueños la reconquista global por los Estados Pero luego de ver a las ex repúblicas de imperialista. No estamos interesad@s en de más riquezas que lo que tienen dos mil Unidos. la Unión Soviética hacerse instrumentos salvar el imperialismo. Estamos aquí para millones de la población del mundo. Pensemos en los términos usados del imperialismo y con bases militares en derrocarlo. Esta clase solo puede sobrevivir por hace solo cinco años: “El Nuevo Orden su contra, finalmente se impusieron en Al comienzo de la Primera Guerra la acumulación de aún más riquezas, Mundial “, “El Nuevo Siglo Americano Georgia este verano. Éste fue otro gran Mundial, el ruso revolucionario Lenin, resultando en aún más pobreza. No tienen [Estadounidense]”, “Choque y Espanto”, contratiempo para los Estados Unidos. argumentó que l@s trabajador@s no ninguna solución fuera de la guerra sin fin. y el arrogante “Misión Cumplida”. Pero el militarismo es un estimulante. pueden ganar ni lograr nada en nin- No tienen nada positivo que contribuir. ¿Recuerdan el plan totalmente criminal Tiene que tomar su curso, sin embargo la guna guerra imperialista. Sus verdade- Es una situación imposible y una para la dominación completa del resto del economía estadounidense no puede exis- ros enemigos son los líderes imperialis- contradicción explosiva, imposible de mundo por los Estados Unidos mediante tir sin él. Es una adicción que está hundi- tas que mandan a l@s trabajador@s y reconciliar. el uso de fuerza? ¿Recuerdan la lista del endo a la economía capitalista. campesin@s al frente de las batallas. Lo Pero ahora la economía capitalista y “Eje del Mal”? Lo que se necesita es que l@s que esto significa en esencia, es confron- dos guerras brutales imperialistas de los Pero no pueden retornar a Irak a la era trabajador@s se concienticen como clase tar a la clase capitalista. EEUU han fracasado. colonial. del costo del militarismo infinito, de la Lenin explicó la diferencia entre la El imperialismo estadounidense no Éste es el mismo problema que tiene necesidad de solidaridad, y de la necesi- posición comunista y la de l@s pacifis- puede desprenderse de las guerras, no Israel con la lucha heroica del pueblo pal- dad de darse cuenta de su propio poder tas quienes condenan igualmente a todas puede simplemente abandonarlas y ceder estino. A pesar de los ceses al fuego, los colectivo para lograr su propia supervi- las guerras. El definió las guerras justas su control de regiones tan cruciales. Pero tanques y helicópteros israelíes han bom- vencia. n como aquellas que son libradas por una tampoco puede quedarse. La máquina clase oprimida contra la clase opresora y militar de la clase dominante está siendo las guerras de liberación nacional por los derrotada. países oprimidos. Hay crisis gigantes e inesperadas en el No podemos aceptar el llamado de porvenir del imperialismo de los EEUU, muchos imperialistas liberales de salir de tan inesperadas e incontrolables como la Irak para entrar en Afganistán. Rechaza­ crisis económica. mos todos los llamados para la interven- Consideremos esto: Ellos no previeron ción de la ONU y la OTAN en Sudán, el la posibilidad de resistencia en Afganistán. Gerardo Hernández Nordelo, Ramón Labañino Salazar, Rene González Sehwerert, Congo y Georgia. No existen guerras Entregaron la guerra a sus aliados de la Antonio Guerrero Rodríguez y Fernando González Llort. imperialistas buenas ni humanitarias. OTAN, desplegaron tropas en varias bas- Sam Marcy, fundador del Partido es militares y sobornaron algunos jefes Workers World /Mundo Obrero, revivió militares. este debate en un maravilloso libro titu- No hubo ninguna reconstrucción. Solo lado, “Los Bolcheviques y la Guerra: publicaron algunos comunicados de pren- Lecciones para el Movimiento Antiguerra sa prometiendo la liberación de la mujer y de Hoy.” la construcción de escuelas, y a continu- Subscribete a Mundo Obrero n $2 por 8 semanas de prueba n $25 por un año

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