MUNDO OBRERO OTAN TORTURA 12 Workers and oppressed peoples of the world unite! workers.org MAY 1, 2008 VOL. 50, NO. 17 50¢ MAY DAY 2008 A world of reasons for ALL workers to unite By Deirdre Griswold that have torn apart families and left them destitute. This year, courageous longshore workers will be shutting YOUTH IN ACTION This May Day, International Workers’ Day, there will be plen- down the West Coast ports for eight hours on May 1 in a strike ty of reasons for workers in the United States—and around the against the war in Iraq and Afghanistan. Other unions are pledg- Anti-sweatshop sit-in 8 world—to take to the streets in protest over their conditions and ing their support, showing that workers in this country believe to raise their demands. this endless war, with its horrendous casualties and enormous NEPAL ELECTION There are of course the issues around disastrous layoffs, cost, is defi nitely an issue for the labor movement. shrinking pay, speedup, shortened hours and other deteriorat- In many parts of the country, particularly the Midwest, the 11 Red victory ing working conditions. epidemic of housing foreclosures and the demand for a morato- But also on the agenda are the many ways in which the work- rium will be raised as an urgent issue on May Day. Workers there AMERICAN AXLE ers and their communities fi nd themselves under assault from are being hit with a double whammy: losing jobs with union pay a billionaire class that uses racism, sexism, homophobia, immi- just as the cost of subprime mortgages is ballooning. Being job- International solidarity 4 grant bashing and pro-war propaganda to keep the people from less and homeless is a worker’s worst nightmare. being able to fi ght back effectively. This nightmare is compounded for many tens of millions It was a huge outpouring of immigrant workers on May 1, in the United States by racism and national oppression. Black FORECLOSURE CRISIS 2006, organized rapidly and from the grassroots in response to workers, as well as Latin@s, are losing their jobs and homes in legislation threatening their rights, that restored May Day in the disproportionate numbers. The survivors of Katrina, those who Direct actions stop evictions 5 United States as the premier day of workers’ struggle. made it through the hurricane and fl ooding only to almost perish For decades, since the rabidly right-wing period of the 1950s of neglect in the aftermath, are struggling to actually keep decent Attacks on immigrants, known as McCarthyism, May Day had been suppressed in this public housing from being torn down in New Orleans. country as “too left.” It was “unpatriotic” to march in synch with The U.S. prison system, by far the largest in the world, is stuffed workers millions of workers all over the world demanding a better life— with people of color who are locked up for supposed “crimes” of A basis for fi ghtback 6-7 even though May Day actually originated in the struggle of work- survival. A recent study showed the U.S. rate of incarceration is ers in Chicago in 1886. Unions here were restricted to parades fi ve times the world average! on Labor Day that left out the broader social issues. And while corporate criminals who swindle billions of dollars WORLD HUNGER But now it is clearer than ever that the problems workers face get out in a few months or years—assuming they ever go to jail are global—and international working-class solidarity is vital to at all—there are countless African American, Native and Latin@ Who's responsible? 9 the solution. prisoners, like Mumia Abu-Jamal, the Angola 3 and Leonard The immigrant workers who brought back May Day have been Peltier, who spend most of their lives behind bars because they WW 1970 the target of massive government repression since then. This refuse to knuckle under to the system. They are truly political year’s marches by workers of all backgrounds must be dedicated prisoners, as are the Cuban 5 who tried to shield their country Women’s march 10 to the tens of thousands who can’t participate because they have from U.S.-based terrorists. been subjected to widespread raids, arrests and deportations Continued on page 7 MARCH DEMANDS ‘FREE MUMIA!’ 3 WW PHOTO: GREG BUTTERFIELD Subscribe to Workers World 4 weeks trial subscription: $1 One year: $25 NAME PHONE EMAIL ADDRESS CITY/STATE/ZIP WORKERS WORLD Philadelphia, April 19. 55 W. 17 St. NY, NY 10011 212-627-2994 www.workers.org WW PHOTO: GARY WILSON Page 2 May 1, 2008 www.workers.org Melvin Van Peebles’ tribute Why we should support H In the U.S. May Day 2008 . 1 an ‘Ex-Doofus’ Melvin Van Peebles’ tribute . 2 March demands ‘Free Mumia!’ . 3 By U-Savior Washington Film Festival, Melvin will Sean Bell verdict due . 3 Black Waxx Multimedia Inc. be the first to tell you not Broad support strengthens American Axle strike . 4 to settle. We’re in this to Pick any industry and you can point to a few pioneers win, to dominate. This is On the picket line . 4 who inspired us with their courage, innovation and drive. just another step in the National protest against foreclosures . 5 As time passes, these visionaries achieve godlike status right direction down a Movement backs down bank, halts eviction . 5 and become the stuff of legend. We learn their methods, road we’ve been walking Bank heads: ‘Greedy pirates of Cleveland’ . 5 but only through books or disciples who are little more for a long time. than knockoffs of the original. Many will want to ICE raids round up 400 workers at Pilgrim's Pride . 6 But every once in a while we get a chance to work side know what the film is Obama, immigration and media bias . 6 by side with these giants, to learn from them and grow about. They’ll want to Inflation, wage cuts and 8-hour workday . 7 as artists. know who’s starring in Students sit in against sweatshops . 8 Before anyone ever heard of Tyler Perry or Spike Lee, it. It doesn’t matter what Melvin Van Peebles Melvin Van Peebles was making history. the film is about. What matters is that Black people have Play about Lucasville prisoners cheered . 8 His infamous film, “Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss taken control over their intellectual property. Forum on Irish struggle history . 8 Song,” grossed millions, made him the undisputed god- A movement cannot exist without industry. But how do WW 1970: The Day Women Took to the Streets . 10 father of independent cinema and introduced the world we turn our intellectual and creative property into indus- Kathleen Kelly . 10 to a one-man revolution. try? We do it by creating our own stars and helping them Melvin has been a mentor for Black Waxx Multimedia to prosper. They, in turn, feed into the movement and H Around the world and for me personally. He stresses the importance of make it stronger. Then repeat this process until through Marxism Conference in Cuba . 7 Black people knowing the all of the different segments that we have supported and difference between telling strengthened, we form an industry that we control. Imperialists’ policies cause worldwide hunger . 9 a joke and being a joke. He I’ll put it in political activist terms. We’re going to have Protest meets S . Korean Pres . Lee . 9 taught me not to give away to CONVERGE on the Tribeca Film Festival. We need to Women’s group hosts Filipina leader . 9 my formula in hopes of MOBILIZE all the people that we can to DEMONSTRATE Communists sweep elections in Nepal . 11 being accepted, but to pass that buying not just one ticket but more than one ticket my formula down to other to “Confessionsofa Ex-Doofus-ItchyFooted Mutha” is a Chinese Olympic wheelchair athlete attacked . 11 brothers and sisters in need DIRECT ACTION that will result in a mass MOVEMENT H Editorials of the information. toward the support of INDEPENDENT film and inde- He showed me that some- pendent thinking. This is one SIT IN you need to stand Self determination! But where? . 10 thing is said with action that up for. H Noticias En Español words cannot pro nounce. No matter how many great films MVP—as I like to call On a Melvin Van Peebles him—makes, he is greater than the sum of his parts. His OTAN . 12 set, you work on every résumé extends beyond his filmography and his legacy Tortura . 12 U-Savior Washington aspect of filmmaking from will serve as a reminder for us to reach for greatness and building the set to rigging costumes. One day we were to never settle for less. shooting several green screen scenes in a studio with a Melvin Van Peebles has seen to it that the revolution Workers World black floor. When we finished, the floor was covered with will be televised, whether on an iPod, a flat screen com- 55 West 17 Street scuff marks and dust. puter monitor, a 60-inch HD set up or the big screen. New York, N.Y. 10011 Melvin—The Melvin—grabbed some rags, got down on All the better to see us with. Phone: (212) 627-2994 his hands and knees and started wiping. That’s when I ‘Confessionsofa Ex-Doofus-ItchyFooted Mutha’ Fax: (212) 675-7869 realized I was dealing with a singular individual. He’s a debuts at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York City E-mail: [email protected] great director not because he’s good at telling people what on Sun., April 27th at 7:30 p.m.