ICELAND KR200 · NEW ZEALAND $3.00 · SWEDEN KR15 · UK £1.00 · U.S. $1.50 INSIDE Malcolm X: 'It's youth who are THE joining fight vs. oppression' A SOCIALIST NEWSWEEKLY PUBLISHED IN THE INTERESTS OF WORKING PEOPLE VOL. 66/NO. 35 SEPTEMBER 23, 2002 100 U.S. and British warplanes launch massive air assault on Iraq Socialists Ill II IJ White House campaign against leads campaign U.S.war moves for imperialist BY ALICE KINCAID war in Mideast CRAIG, Colorado-Jason Alessio, the Socialist Workers candidate for U.S. Con­ BY PATRICK O'NEILL gress in the Third District in this state, On September 5 some 100 U.S. and Brit­ launched his campaign at the annual Labor ish warplanes attacked air defenses in the Day gathering in the nearby coal-mining and west of Iraq, striking as close as 50 miles ranching town of Oak Creek. from the Jordanian border. Supporters of Alessio, a union coal In the little-publicized action, nine U.S. miner, set up a campaign table at the event F-15 Strike Eagles and three British Torna­ and introduced the socialist candidate to does took off from airfields in Kuwait, many of the hundreds of working people backed up by dozens of planes performing who attended from towns throughout the such tasks as fighter cover, midair refuel­ area. ing, and reconnaissance. "My campaign presents a fighting, work­ The aircraft dropped their precision­ ing-class alternative to the twin parties of guided bombs on an Iraqi command and big business: the Democrats and Republi­ control facility and military airfield-the cans. Two crucial and related questions fac­ major such installation in the western re­ ing working people are the imperialist war gion of the country. drive and the deepening depression condi­ U.S. and British planes carried out an­ tions in the world;' Alessio said after intro­ other bombing assault, this time southeast ducing himself to Paul Cruz, a retired miner of Baghdad, on September 9. The "past "few and railroad worker from Craig. weeks have seen a resurgence of [hostile] 1 Alessio explained his opposition to . : '8~b~rah Liatos; Powell activity in the no-fly zones," reported one Washington's preparations for launching an Top: Olympia Newton, Socialist Workers can- major British daily. invasion oflraq. He outlined his campaign's , didate for secretary of state in California, cam­ U.S. military officials are organizing a program to unite working people in a fight paigns at August 25 United Farm Workers rally simultaneous buildup of heavy military for jobs, entitlements, and other social gains in Sacramento. Bottom: Jason Alessio, right, equipment in the Arab-Persian Gulf region. that are under attack. socialist candidate for Congress in Colorado, In contrast to the United States, where Cruz replied, "Reagan tried to take away speaks with rancher at Oak Creek Labor Day the scale of the September 5 raid went vir­ railroad retirement and then Clinton-from event. Center: Chicago hotel workers rally tually unreported, prominent papers in the 'my' party, the Democratic Party-got in August 23 for wage hike and lower medical United Kingdom described the attack in and tried the same thing," referring to former costs. Candidates are taking socialist message some detail. Its military purpose "could Continued on Page 5 to fighting workers and farmers everywhere. Continued on Page 9 Protests greet New York City, Saturday, September 28 Hotel workers U.S. bombing Communists and the World Struggle in Chicago exerc1ses• over against Imperialism Today mobilize, Speakers Vieques Jack Barnes Mary-Alice Waters win pay hike BY PATRICK O'NEILL National Secretary, Socialist Workers Party Editor of New International BY CHESSIE MOLANO As U.S. naval forces began another round Jason Alessio Martin Koppel CHICAGO-Hotel workers here, who have been mobilizing in a fight for a con­ of war exercises on the Puerto Rican island UMWA miner, Socialist Workers candidate Editor of the Militant and of Vieques, despite the overwhelming op­ tract, voted 892 to 153 to approve a four-year position of the Puerto Rican population, for U.S. Congress in Colorado Perspectiva Mundial agreement on September 5. Non-tipped workers won wage hikes of $3.27 an hour, residents of Vieques and their supporters Arrin Hawkins Ma'mud Shirvani have stepped up their protests, braving ar­ as well as a reduction in health insurance rests by military police and tear-gas assaults Socialist workers candidate for Farsi editor, costs from $85 per month to $30 over the by U.S. Navy security officers. lieutenant governor in New York State Pathfinder Press four years. The workers also won-for the The ship-to-shore and air-to-ground ma­ Continued on Page 11 neuvers, scheduled to last 23 days, began Olympia Newton September 3. That same night, several pro­ Young Socialists National Leadership Council, testers entered the Navy-occupied land on Socialist Workers candidate for secretary of state in California Also Inside: Vieques. The next morning, five supporters of the Puerto Rican Independence Party •:• Iraq and the Arabian peninsula: Washington's drive to redivide Volunteers set up Pathfinder (PIP) were arrested there and detained at the the region and dominate oil distribution center in Atlanta 2 U.S. military's Camp Garcia. The follow­ ing day, three Vieques residents were held •:• A new world depression is unfolding Bondholders in N.Y. reap and interrogated by FBI agents. The pro­ •:• Deepening contradictions in U.S. labor: opportunities and dangers profits while bosses slash tests have continued virtually daily, despite the arrests. •:• Campaigning for communism and responding to political openings wages and services 3 In New York, on the first day of the bomb­ ing ofVieques, dozens of people held a bois­ Buffet dinner 4:00 p.m., program 5:30 p.m. sharp Protesters in Washington State terous picket in Times Square, near the U.S. oppose cop assault on worker 4 Navy recruiting center. "Vieques si, Marina Frank Altschul Auditorium, 4th Floor, 420 W. I 18th St. [Navy] no," they chanted. at Amsterdam Ave. (on the Columbia University campus) One year later: how Since World War II, when the U.S. gov­ communists responded to ernment used Puerto Rico--its colony in the Hosted by New York/New Jersey SWP: (212) 695-7358; (212) 740-4611; U.S. war drive and 9-11 9 Caribbean-to establish a Navy bombing (973) 481-0077 range on the small island ofVieques, to the Swedish rulers target east of the main island, fishermen and other Sponsors: Socialist Workers Party National Committee workers' rights, social wage 10 Vieques residents have protested the in- Continued on Page 3 Young Socialists National Leadership Council ._ Pathfinder opens new distribution center in Atlanta BY BRIAN TAYLOR of the sharpening international AND ARGIRIS MALAPANIS class struggle, and the steps by so­ ATLANTA-"We are on target to begin cialist workers and youth to take shipping books out tomorrow!" declared advantage of the political oppor­ Holly Harkness to dozens of people gath­ tunities they face today. The dis­ ered here September I to celebrate the open­ tribution center, located near the ing of the Pathfinder distribution center in city's international airport, made Atlanta. an appropriate venue. Those present at the celebration barbe­ On behalf of the Atlanta hosts, cue had just completed two days of volun­ SWP National Committee member teer labor. Participants in this Red Weekend James Harris welcomed the 90 par­ hailed from Charlotte, North Carolina; ticipants and introduced SWP Houston; Miami; New York; and Tampa, leader Norton Sandler, who Florida; as well as Atlanta. chaired the event. By the afternoon of Labor Day, the vol­ unteers had completed setting up the distri­ Turning point bution center for Pathfinder Press, previ­ "The double Red Weekend that Militant/above: Linda Joyce: inset: Dave Wulp ously located in New York. After a ribbon­ we are in the midst of here tonight Pathfinder supporters participate in Red Weekend of volunteer labor to set up revolutionary cutting ceremony to formally launch the new is a real turning point for the party publishing house's distribution center in Atlanta September 1. Inset, Holly Harkness, organizer facility, close to 30 orders of Pathfinder as we have transformed ourselves of distribution center's steering committee, discusses tasks with other supporters. books were prepared for shipping. and the entire movement over the "We've now turned a corner," said last four years," said Socialist Workers Party is the supporters of the communist move­ and the efforts by socialist workers to capi­ Harkness, "toward increasing sales of Path­ leader Mary-Alice Waters in the feature pre­ ment, "a disciplined organization that is talize on political openings that have been finder books many-fold over the coming sentation. marching in lockstep with the party" and around for several years. months and years." "We are creating the printshop and pub­ helping to "qualitatively transform the le­ Harkness, organizer of the Atlanta-based lishing house that we need today-one that verage and outreach" of the revolutionary A transit point, not a warehouse steering committee that will centralize the is sustainable with the forces and resources party today. "This distribution center is a transit point, work of the new distribution center, headed we have, without having to give up a single These supporters are now taking respon­ not a warehouse," said Sandler. "Books will up the three-day effort. The other members one" of the books in Pathfinder's ambitious sibility for a campaign to increase the sales come here from Pathfinder's printshop in of the committee are Bob Braxton and publishing program," she said. "In fact, quite of Pathfinder books, she noted.