text: workers.org Workers and oppressed peoples of the world unite! SEPT. 8, 2005 VOL. 47, NO. 35 50¢ Billions spent for Iraq war Ruptura en la organización laboral favorece los ataques anti-sindicales 12 Relief for the rich, WW EDITORIAL disaster for the poor Hurricane tragedy could Hurricane Katrina U.S. gov't guilty have been averted of criminal neglect A lmost all of the death, injury, damage and destruction arising from hurricane Katrina is By Larry Hales the result of the crimes of the Bush administration. TROOPS OUT NOW!. Aug. 31, 3:15 p.m. EDT—The mayor of New Orleans has just President Bush was criminally announced that hundreds, probably thousands, have been killed Camp Casey Crawford, Detroit 6-7 negligent in diverting funds that had been requested to protect the people by Hurricane Katrina. Sept. 24 momemtum grows 7 of New Orleans for use in the crimi- Last year in the midst of hurricane season, as Hurricane Ivan— nal war of conquest in Iraq. The Bush administration did this in full a category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson scale, which cate- gorizes hurricanes based on barometric pressure, winds and IRAQ Constitutional quagmire 9 knowledge of the impending danger. storm surge—was bearing down on New Orleans, the city set The highest government agency in aside 10,000 body bags. Hurricane Ivan was to be the storm that forecasters were suspecting would level the entire city. Continued on page 10 New Orleans is essentially a bowl. It is below sea-level and sur- rounded by water. New Orleans is flanked by Lake Pontchartrain and the Mississippi River. Levees and pumps keep the city dry. A storm like Hurricane Ivan would have wiped the levees out, A HISTORIC MEETING destroyed the pumps and have left parts of the city submerged under nearly 20 feet of water. The water would have grown stag- Leaders of nant, teeming with bacteria and the dead, and oil and gas would Million Continued on page 11 Worker March & Millions Global actions demand: More PHOTO CREDIT: O'NEIL NANCO Louis Farrakhan Movement 4 Stop the execution of Frances Newton & Chris Silvera By Gloria Rubac Houston RACIST DEATH PENALTY VENEZUELA Support for Frances Newton Lena Baker pardoned grows daily. From every corner Revolutionary of Houston, the fourth-largest too late communities, city in the country, people have 3 social missions 8 been moved by Newton's case —and have turned their disbelief and outrage at the injustice Oil for the people 8 done her into action to stop her Sept. 14 execution. From around the United States and the world people are responding to an email campaign on the FreeFrances.org web MARCH ON THE WHITE HOUSE We have BRING SEPT 24 the power to do it site and the iacenter.org web site. They are sending postcards to THE End the TROOPS Occupations the governor and showing DVDs of Newton speaking. HOME SUBSCRIBE TO of Iraq, SHUT NOW! Palestine, Frances Newton, who has maintained her innocence, is Afghanistan WORKERS WORLD scheduled to be put to death by the state of Texas for the 1988 killings of her husband Adrian, her 7-year-old son Alton, and HEALTHCARE NOT WARFARE Trial subscription: $2 for 8 weeks NO DRAF NO WAY T her 21-month-old daughter Farrah. Her state appeal was ! THE One year subscription: $25 denied in August. Her case in now in the federal courts. EDUCAT ION NOT OCCUPATION She would be the first African American woman executed in IT'S OUR Militar y Recrui ters Stop Threats Against FU TU RE Out of Our School s NAME Texas since 1854, when an enslaved Black woman named Lucy Venezuela, Cuba, Iran, was hanged in Galveston. WAR North Korea War and Africa Stop the ADDRESS In July, Newton's attorneys filed an addition to an application U.S.O UT Against the Black, Stop the of the Latin@, war on for a writ of habeas corpus when it was discovered Assistant Philipp Puerto ines, Arab &M uslim ities HOUSING women & lesbian, Rico Commun NOT gay, bi, District Attorney Roe Wilson, who handles all death row appeals and Ha iti BOMBS trans people CITY/STATE/ZIP DOWN! from Houston, had admitted to a Dutch journalist what Newton's family had known for 18 years: There was another gun JOBS Support the Palestinian EMAIL PHONE involved in the murders. N OT People's WORKERS WORLD NEWSPAPER Right to 55 W. 17 St. NY, NY 10011 212-627-2994 Frances Newton wound up on death row because she was WAR JOIN THE MILLIONS MORE MOVEMENT OCT 14,15,16 Return www.workers.org forced to take court-appointed attorney Ron Mock, known for TROOPS OUT NOW COALITION For bus tickets call Continued on page 3 212-633-6646 www.troops out now.org Volunteer: 39 W. 14 St., #206, NY NY 10011 , 212- 633-6646 TONC is a member of the Sept. 24 National Coalition initiated by the ANSWER coalition Labor donated 7/05 Page 2 Sept. 8, 2005 www.workers.org Mattachine victory sparks internal debate In the U.S. Relief for the rich, disaster for the poor. . . . . . . . . . . 1 Stop the execution of Frances Newton . . . . . . . . . . . 1 By Leslie Feinberg torian John D'Emilio relates, "had little if any sense of sol- Mattachine victory sparks internal debate . . . . . . . . . 2 idarity with other oppressed gays and no allegiance, Hay 'Extradite Posada Carriles!' . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 The successful defense of a Mattachine founder against felt, to the long-term goal of building a powerful, militant 'Free the computers for Cuba!' . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 criminal charges stemming from police entrapment in the mass movement for homosexual rights." ("Making Justice for Lena Baker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 summer of 1952 was a heady victory, expanding the mem- Trouble") Notes from a conversation with Louis Farrakhan . . . . 4 bership at a geometric rate. Northwest strike . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 The campaign against police entrapment had success- Skittish professionals New York forum hears immigrant organizers . . . . . . . 5 fully taken the organization's activist work into the pub- In an attempt to create at least one flexible public orga- The Case of Lynne Stewart. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 lic arena. However, the campaign itself had been organ- nizational vehicle for movement building, the leadership Camp Casey, Crawford, Texas. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 ized in the name of an ad-hoc, single-issue committee, did resolve in February to incorporate the Mattachine 'It's women who will stop this war!' . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 which provided greater freedom for mobilizing the Foundation in California as a not-for-profit educational Bedford-Stuyvesant rally . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 grassroots effort. organization in order to take another step into Anti-war activists pursue Bush back to D.C. . . . . . . . 7 Almost immediately this presented a crisis the public arena. Left-wing lawyer Fred Snider Milwaukee: Blow to recruiters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 for Mattachine. New leadership was needed handled the incorporation. John Johnson: Why his death went unnoticed . . . . . 10 for the growing number of discussion groups. The Mattachine leaders hoped that an Unlike the small circle of founding members, Around the world incorporated foundation could openly con- who built a leadership based on a "consensus Venezuela offers oil for the people . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 duct research into homosexuality and use the of principle," the gay men and lesbians who findings to create mass education about Eyewitness Caracas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 flocked to Mattachine now did so because it homosexual rights. To do so, the foundation Iraq's constitutional quagmire. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 spoke to social needs that arose from their could reach out for heterosexual support— Unity soccer match between North, South Korea . . . . 9 oppression. However, they did not necessar- PART 46 including professionals and public officials. Bush 'morality' cuts funding for HIV education . . . . . 11 The entire ily share the political view of the founding The foundation could also ease the fears of Lavender & Editorials leaders that homosexuals were an oppressed the mass membership in Mattachine about Red series, which Hurricane Katrina: Gov't guilty of criminal neglect . . . . 1 minority who needed to unite in collective who the leaders of the organization were and explores the history political activism to bring about social change. who was organizing the discussion groups at of the socialist Noticias En Español These new members wanted to know who movement and a historical moment when such doubts always the leaders were and where the direction for Ruptura en la organización laboral . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 the struggle for fanned the flames of anti-communism. the discussion groups was coming from. sexual & gender Chuck Rowland, a Mattachine founder, During the frenzy and fear of the McCarthyite liberation, can drew up a four-page pamphlet announcing the witch hunt, all such anxieties were directed be read online at establishment of the foundation by a group of against communists. And the founding mem- www.workers.org. Los Angeles residents. Basing its arguments WW CALENDAR bers were communists. on Dr. Alfred Kinsey's study of male sexuality, The secret "underground" structure of leaders that pro- published in 1948, the pamphlet debunked many of the LOS ANGELES. NEW YORK. tected the anonymity of the founding core—the Fifth pejorative attitudes about homosexuality. "But homosex- Friday Every Friday Order—strained the need for above-ground political uals as such have only limited social and legal rights," the Sept. 8 IAC Forum: Ruth Vela Workers World Party meeting. and Justino Jimenez of San Diego Come hear Marxist analyses and organizing. Same-sex love was still illegal, though, mak- pamphlet emphasized, "in fact, our whole society is organ- FIST will give an eyewitness lively discussion of world events ing the problem of creating a homosexual rights organi- ized to keep them completely oppressed." report from the World Conference and working class struggles. 7 of Students and Youth held in pm. (Dinner at 6:30) At 55 W. 17 zation a thorny one. Mattachine founders asked prominent individuals to Caracas, Venezuela. Zola St., 5th Fl., Manhattan. For info join the foundation's board of directors. Muhammad and Page Getz will (212) 627-2994. Split in leadership UCLA research psychologist Dr. Evelyn Hooker and report from their IAC-LA spon- sored solidarity trip to Camp How could Mattachine reorganize to meet the needs of novelist-screenwriter Christopher Isherwood both turned Casey. 7:30 pm, a burgeoning movement? This question split members of down the invitation, although each reportedly said they 5274 W Pico Blvd #203, 323-936-7266 the Fifth Order almost immediately after the Jennings supported the aims. legal victory. The Fifth Order held an urgent weekend con- Isherwood argued that he was not a "joiner," but he ference in February 1953 to hash out their differences. donated money to the effort and offered to spread the word Workers World Most of the inner group demanded the creation of an about the foundation. Hooker, who had just opened up her 55 West 17 Street above-ground membership organization. Voicing the con- study of male homosexuality, expressed concern that New York, N.Y. 10011 Phone: (212) 627-2994 cerns of this grouping, Chuck Rowland wrote to Harry membership would open her up to peer scrutiny about her Fax: (212) 675-7869 Hay. Rowland argued that the conditions under which the objectivity. E-mail: email@example.com original underground organization was formed in 1950 Wallace de Ortega Maxey did say yes to participation in Web: www.workers.org had drastically changed, and that "a radical new approach" the foundation's work. This pastor of the First Universalist Vol. 47, No. 35 • Sept. 8, 2005 was needed. Church in Los Angeles was known for his support of pro- Closing date: Aug. 24, 2005 Rowland stressed that the new Mattachine movement gressive political causes. San Bernardino physician had opened up "a qualitatively new situation in which even Richard Gwartney also agreed to take part. Editor: Deirdre Griswold our Junior Chamber of Commerce Laguna Group (the In general, however, the contradiction of approaching Technical Editor: Lal Roohk exact type of group the secrecy of the Society was designed professionals and officialdom became immediately appar- Managing Editors: John Catalinotto, LeiLani Dowell, to protect)" favored above-ground organizing. ent. The Mattachine founders, all with communist back- Leslie Feinberg, Monica Moorehead, Gary Wilson Rowland concluded that he was going to put forward a grounds or influences, wanted to organize a grassroots West Coast Editor: John Parker motion at the next leadership meeting for a convention movement that would fight for every right. Contributing Editors: Greg Butterfield, and draw up a constitution for a new organizational struc- The public figures Mattachine was approaching, how- Fred Goldstein, Teresa Gutierrez, Berta Joubert-Ceci, ture for the Mattachine Society. "Whether you like it or ever, did not share its revolutionary outlook, or even a sim- Milt Neidenberg not," Rowland warned, "the subject of discussion for today ilar class outlook. Technical Staff: Shelley Ettinger, Maggie is reorganization." Hay charged that Isherwood was "rude and sneering" Vascassenno Hay was unwavering in his opposition to reorganiza- to Mattachine leaders. Hay stressed, "Isherwood made no Mundo Obrero: Carl Glenn, Teresa Gutierrez, tion. He believed it would do irrevocable harm to bones about his contempt for our socialist mass-organi- Berta Joubert-Ceci, Donna Lazarus, Carlos Vargas, Mattachine to open up the structure at a time when there zation approach. Internet: Janet Mayes was an influx of large numbers of new members who, his- Continued on page 10 Workers World (ISSN-1070-4205) is published weekly except the first week of January by WW JOIN US. Workers World Atlanta Chicago Los Angeles San Diego, Calif. Publishers, 55 W. 17 St., N.Y., N.Y. 10011. Phone: Party (WWP) fights on all P.O. Box 424, 27 N. Wacker Dr. #138 5274 West Pico Blvd., 3930 Oregon St., issues that face the Atlanta, GA 30301 Chicago, IL 60606 Suite 203 Suite 230 (212) 627-2994. Subscriptions: One year: $25; foreign working class and (404) 627-0815 (773) 381-5839 Los Angeles, CA 90019 San Diego, CA 92104 and institutions: $35. 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Box 130322, Washington, DC 20037, POSTMASTER: Send address changes to New York, NY 10011 Buffalo, NY 14213 (585) 436-6458 (212) 627-2994; (716) 566-1115 Houston, TX 77219 firstname.lastname@example.com email@example.com Workers World, 55 W. 17 St., 5th Floor, Fax (212) 675-7869 firstname.lastname@example.com (713) 861-5965 New York, N.Y. 10011. firstname.lastname@example.com email@example.com www.workers.org Sept. 8, 2005 Page 3 Global actions demand: Stop the execution of Frances Newton Continued from page 1 his incompetence and arguably one of the worst defense lawyers in Houston. Sixteen of his clients, including Shaka Sankofa who was executed in 2000, were sent to death row. Only four are alive today. Newton tried to have Mock replaced after her family finally scraped enough money together to hire a private attorney, but the trial judge refused to dismiss him. PHOTO: ROBERTO MERCADO The state says Newton killed her family. Her mother says it's impossible. "Frances adored her children," says Jewel Nelms. "Frances was a conscientious mother who 'Extradite Posada Carriles!' Former political prisoner and Puerto Rican independence leader Antonio Camacho took such care with her children, includ- Negron, left, spoke at a New York City rally on Aug. 29 to demand the extradition ing their education. It is not possible she of known terrorist Luis Posada Carriles to Venezuela to face trial. On that day, could have harmed them." Carriles faced an immigration court in El Paso to seek asylum from the United On Aug. 27, Newton's supporters from States. The rally was part of a national day of action initiated by the ANSWER Houston and Austin marched on the gov- Coalition. —Anne Pruden ernor's mansion to put Texas Gov. Rick Perry on PHOTOS: SOFIA HOLDER notice that if he allows the Gloria Rubac speaking execution to take place, he in Austin, Aug. 27. NEW YORK. will have the murder of an "It's been a little frus- 'Free the computers innocent woman on his trating with other people hands. not knowing about what The Houston-based Com- really happened when mittee to Free Frances Newton left early from the S.H.A.P.E. Community in you know it is a fact. And when you know that those facts could change for Cuba!' Houston for the trip to my daughter's life." FREE FRANCES.ORG Austin. On the bus, each On the Aug. 27 bus ride person took the microphone and told what back to Houston, activists mapped out had gotten her or him involved in trying plans for the next two weeks. There will to stop this execution. be rallies and pickets and city council One of them was Karen Preston. She appearances. There will be a hip-hop pro- went to high school with Newton. "Every gram for the youth, and a tent at a com- class reunion, we talk about Frances and munity festival. how we can't believe she would ever harm "I am so thankful for all the people com- her family. I have to step up and try to stop ing together," said Nelms. "I am thankful her execution." for all the people who are coming forward Armed with banners and signs and an and standing up and looking at the case unstoppable spirit, the group was joined and voicing their opinions." by anti-death-penalty activists in Austin. Letters of support can be sent to: After a march up Congress Avenue, the Frances Newton (#922), Mountain View crowd rallied across the street from Unit, 2305 Ransom Road, Gatesville, TX Perry's home. Speakers included Barbara 76528. Acuna, whose son Robert Acuna was the last juvenile sentenced to death in Houston before the U.S. Supreme Court outlawed the practice in October 2004. Also, Delia Perez-Meyers talked about her brother Louis Meyers, another innocent person on Protesters in New York City rally on Aug. 24 demanding the release of computers death row in Texas. Perez- and other equipment seized from the Pastors for Peace humanitarian aid caravan Meyers presented Acuna with a in July. The equipment was seized by U.S. Customs agents, acting on the orders of the U.S. Commerce Department, when the 16th "Friendshipment Caravan to beautiful drawing made by Gary Cuba" attempted to cross the border at Mexico. Sterling, who had been executed — Story and photo by Anne Pruden two weeks earlier. Speaking for Newton was Aug. 27 march to governor's house in Austin. Nelms, who thanked everyone for their commitment and activism Justice for Lena Baker on behalf of her daughter. After the rally, Nelms left to go visit Newton. "She's doing really good and is so excited about what's going on in Houston and in Austin. Frances is doing well. She Too little and much too late still has a wonderful, beautiful smile. Her spirits are high. She knows that the truth Millions of people had not heard of March 5, 1945. is on her side," Nelms said. Lena Baker until the Georgia Board of Baker had been hired in 1944 to care for Nelms noted the next day: "All the Pardons and Paroles posthumously par- Knight, a white mill operator in Cuthbert, things are finally coming out that Frances doned her on Aug. 15. Baker, an African Ga., who broke his leg. Baker was sexually and I have been knowing for a long time. American maid, was and remains to this abused by Knight. She fatally shot him Like the D.A. finally admitting another day the only woman to die in Georgia's when he threatened her with a branding gun was recovered from the crime scene. electric chair. The 19 other women exe- iron after she told him that she was quit- cuted in Georgia died by hanging. ting her job. Baker was convicted of the first-degree Black women being sexually exploited set free. If there were real justice in leftbooks.com .. . murder of E.B. Knight by an all-white, all- male jury during a one-day trial. Not one and raped by white men, especially in the South, was the norm not the exception, Georgia today, the GBPP would have not only proclaimed Baker's innocence, but beginning with the days of slavery. abolished the racist, anti-poor death Books to change the world– witness was called by her white court- appointed attorney in her defense. A If there were real justice in Georgia penalty once and for all to honor her that's the point mother of three children, Baker was 44 years old when she was electrocuted on back then, Baker would have been found innocent by reason of self-defense and memory. —Monica Moorehead Page 4 Sept. 8, 2005 www.workers.org Notes from a conversation with Louis Farrakhan MWMM talks to Millions More Movement about the working class By Clarence Thomas with an embrace and a handshake. Despite Chris Silvera, Co-chair, Million Worker March his hectic schedule, which included a Clarence Thomas, Movement, New York flurry of interviews and other meetings, Louis Farrakhan, we were able to have a 45-minute meeting Brenda Stokely, During Nation of Islam Minister Louis at his hotel. Larry Holmes and Farrakhan's keynote address on behalf Many trade union rank and filers have Bashiri Silvera of the Millions More Movement at the a misconception of who Minister Farra- holding MWM t-shirt Aug. 27. Teamsters National Black Caucus 30th khan is and his importance. While he is PHOTO CREDIT: annual banquet and educational confer- certainly an important historical figure in NATION OF ISLAM ence in Chicago on Aug. 20, he publicly the struggle for Black liberation, we found extended an invitation to the TNBC him to be attentive, humble, full of great national chair, Chris Silvera, to have a wisdom and gracious. meeting in order to include MWMM I presented the minister with MWM issues with the MMM platform. The statements on "Rank and file unity and the NOI's chief of protocol, Sister Claudette AFL-CIO split" and "Racism and sexism: Marie Muhammad, made arrangements Major pillars of the crisis inside the U.S. with the assistance of Harlem's NOI trade union movement," and with an out- veyed to Minister Willie Williams, the This includes those who don't have pen- Minister Kevin Muhammad, to set up line of how the MWMM would be doing national executive director of MMM. sions, don't have livable wages and med- the meeting in New York Aug. 27. broad outreach to workers, organized and Farrakhan told us that each of the local ical benefits, those who want a job and Silvera, an East Coast convener of the unorganized, anti-war activists and others MMM organizing committees should have can't have one, and how those of us who Oct. 17, 2004, Million Worker March, for the MMM. I also gave him a copy of the labor representation. These committees do have jobs serve as buffers, superficial indicated to Kevin Muhammad that he "War at Home—Economic Class War in will be made aware of this recommenda- divisions, between the unemployed on the wanted to have two other MWM East America" book by Jack Rasmus. tion along with the MMM executive body one hand and the corporations and the Coast conveners, Brenda Stokely, former Prior to the Aug. 27 meeting, a MWMM that meets regularly to discuss issues. ruling class on the other. president of District Council 1707, and T-shirt, pin and Oct. 17 rally DVD had been Farrakhan told us that no one can speak Farrakhan made the point that there is Larry Holmes, co-director of the Inter- presented to Minister Ishmael for workers like workers themselves and a disconnection in many instances national Action Center, along with myself, Muhammad, a Farrakhan assistant, dur- therefore asked us to select a MWMM rep- between those of us who are working and at that meeting, which did occur on the ing the July 23 AFL-CIO pre-convention resentative to speak on the issues of labor those who are not, as well as between evening of Aug. 27. activity at Mosque Maryam in Chicago. at the MMM Oct. 15 rally. those who have jobs that are unionized Farrakhan had traveled to New York to Chris presented the minister with a TNBC There was a mutual agreement on the and jobs that are not unionized. meet with various sectors of the commu- embroidered leather shoulder bag, T-shirt plight of working people—organized and Brenda mentioned how the MWMM nity and movement regarding the upcom- and history of the TNBC DVD. unorganized. Farrakhan mentioned that embraces those who don't have jobs ing Oct. 14-16 Millions More Movement In response to a request made by Chris, even though many of us in the trade union because we call for universal health care, events in Washington, D.C., to commem- a verbal agreement was made that the movement are facing this onslaught from a national livable wage, affordable hous- orate the 10th anniversary of the Million MWMM will be one of the national co- not only the corporations but the govern- ing and education and that a worker— Man March. conveners of the MMM representing ment, still the plight of those who don't unemployed or a displaced—is still a He greeted the four of us individually labor, and that this agreement will be con- have jobs cannot be lost in all of this. worker. Farrakhan reminded us of the Northwest strike Support grows for cleaners & mechanics By Cheryl LaBash Japan, noted the global character of Northwest is now turning its knives on Detroit NWA's attacks: "You attract the attention the Professional Flight Attendants Associ- of many workers in Japan who face simi- ation, which represents 10,000 Northwest Every day the local, national and inter- lar attacks ... . The Northwest Airlines are workers. The airline bosses' ultimatum national solidarity with the striking depriving workers of the very right to live would outsource more than half the jobs Northwest Airlines mechanics and clean- by coercing an extravagant concession. and cut pay an average of 20 percent. ers becomes more visible. At the same The deliberate preparation of scabs clearly In 2006 at the latest, NWA also wants time, Northwest is renewing demands for shows that the attack is aimed at destruc- to eliminate 1,181 pilots and cut pay by 22 Minneapolis-St. Paul. PHOTO: AFMA LOCAL 33 tion of the very existence of the union ... . huge cuts in its contract negotiations with percent. (Detroit Free Press, Aug. 30) the unions representing pilots, flight 1995 Detroit newspaper strike. The event "Also in Japan we face appalling circum- The AMFA strike at Northwest confirms attendants and other workers. brought in $3,000. stances. A criminal policy of privatization what the Mission Statement of the Million On the second Saturday of the strike, After the Electrical Workers Local 58 and deregulation resulted in a railway acci- Worker March Movement put forth last 1,000 supporters rallied at the Aircraft had reluctantly pulled its hall, forced by an dent, which claimed the lives of 107 pas- year. The MWMM pointed to the vast Mechanics Fraternal Association—AMFA agreement worked out at the national level sengers at once. Union busting, massive reservoir of potential support that can be —strike headquarters near the Minne- by the Machinists and Electrical Workers casualization of workers, and destruction mobilized to turn around the devastation apolis-St. Paul airport. union, strikers and supporters filled the of wage, pension and health-care systems on the job and in the communities: Speakers included Steel Workers Anchor Bar and adjacent meeting room, are rampant also in Japan. Therefore, an "The vast majority of working Amer- District 11 Director Dave Foster. overflowing into McCarthy's, another pro- attack on you is an attack on all the work- icans are under siege. Social services and One of 50 members there from the labor watering hole down the street. ers in Japan. We will fight back any possi- essential funding for schools, libraries, Machinists union told the crowd: "We are At the gathering, strikers, union offi- ble attacks and continue our all-out strug- affordable housing and health care are all the same. The company hates every one cials and activists exchanged information gle in Japan in solidarity with your strike." slashed and eliminated. of us and wants to bust every single one of and planned for Labor Day outreach and In its Aug. 21 support statement, repre- "Decent paying jobs are disappearing the unions on the property ... . If we don't other strike support. sentatives of the Netherlands-based through outsourcing and privatization stand together, we are all dead. That's why Northwest's attack on the mechanics Aircraft Engineers International said they whose real purpose is to break unions and I don't cross." and cleaners of AMFA resonates with are extremely concerned "about the mass roll back the gains of one hundred years of Elected officials who spoke, including workers in both the public and private redundancies [layoffs] of qualified struggle. Sweatshops and starvation wages the mayor of Minneapolis, pointed to the sectors, who face the same cuts in jobs, mechanics at Northwest Airlines, and we are imposed on workers across the world public interest in actions by a company pay and benefits. are further concerned as this trend seems and deployed against workers at home to that has received tax breaks as well as a to increase everywhere… and the negative undermine our jobs and our benefits. ... monopoly at the airport. Solidarity! effect on flight safety in general." "The time has come to mobilize work- The Strike Solidarity Committee In an auto parts warehouse, UAW The Central Labor Council of Alameda ing people for our own agenda. Let us end plans additional actions, including members collected a shop-floor donation. County, Calif., the International Long- subservience to the power of the privileged picketing local hotels that Northwest A delegation from that job site brought shore and Warehouse Union and the FAA few and their monopoly of the political uses to house "replacement mechanics." pizzas to the strike headquarters, and Safety Inspectors' Union immediately process in America. ... Let us forge (www.workdayminnesota.org) picketed at the airport in an Aug. 27 down- supported the mechanics' and cleaners' together a social, economic and political In Detroit, an Aug. 27 "ox roast" fund- pour so heavy it backed up street drains. strike. movement for working people. We are the raiser was organized in only a few days by In an Aug. 28 statement of support, UPS pilots said they would not fly many. The secretive and corrupt who con- the network built 10 years ago during the Doro-Chiba, a railway workers' union in Northwest cargo. trol our lives are the rapacious few." www.workers.org Sept. 8, 2005 Page 5 New York forum hears forces that we were going up against and about the fear that the government has of retribution from the Black community immigrant organizers based on the racism and white supremacy that we still face. Farrakhan said that the only way that we are going to be able to realize livable wages and jobs for the unemployed is to make fundamental changes in the gov- Leading organizers from immigrant ernment, including the military-based worker groups in the New York-New economy. Jersey area brought a message of strug- He stated that the government has gle to the Workers World Forum in New committed wrongdoing to the victims of York on Aug. 25. From the mostly "American foreign policy," and that gov- Mexican and other Latin@ workers, the ernment fear created an attitude of lock- message was: "We are here for work ing up Black folks before there is some because NAFTA has made it impossible kind of action taken by the Black commu- to work for a living wage at home. We nity to the oppression that we've been pay taxes. We work hard. We are organ- under. ized and we will fight for our rights." I underscored the fact that Farrakhan is The speakers also reported on a confer- the continuer of the legacy of the Honor- ence of day laborers that took place at able Elijah Muhammad and the ongoing Hofstra University on Long Island, N.Y., struggle for economic and social justice. from July 27-31. With all due respect to Jesse Jackson and Among the speakers were Brian Al Sharpton, Farrakhan has the moral Barraza, president of the Association of authority to be able to make Black trade Mexican American Workers, active main- unionists respond and mobilize around ly in New York City; four leading members the issues raised at the MWMM. Farra- of Casa Freehold, a solidarity organization khan's speech on Aug. 20 with regard to in Freehold, N.J., that has fought for and issues of the Black working class was in won concessions for the mostly Mexican- fact helping to carry forth the work of Dr. Freehold, N.J., activists speak Aug. 25 in New York. born day laborers (jornaleros) in central Martin Luther King with respect to the New Jersey; and Heather Cottin, who has Black community, the working class or written about and supported the protests labor, the inter-faith community around issues of the right to a job, decent educa- of day laborers and other immigrant work- ers in and around Farmingdale, Long THE CASE OF LYNNE STEWART. tion and health care. Island, N.Y. When we mentioned to him the issues of bringing the troops home, repealing anti-labor laws such as the Taft-Hartley Sharon Eolis of the International Action Center also spoke at the meeting about her Justice Department attack on the Bill of Rights recent trip to the Philippines. And Dustin Act, upholding workers' critical weapons Langley of "No Draft No Way" reported like having the right to strike without on his visit to Camp Casey in Crawford, replacement workers, ending all discrim- Texas, now a center of anti-war activity. "The Case of Lynne Stewart: A Justice had any connections with either. ination in the work place—be it based on The forum gave an opportunity for the Department Attack on the Bill of Why did the wrath of the race or gender—Farrakhan told us that he immigrant worker movement to speak Rights." A National Lawyers "patriot" gods strike Stewart? was not interested in just being able to rat- directly with pro-socialist activists and to Guild Publication. 37 pp. 2005 Did she engage in violent acts? tle off statistics, but he wants to develop a increase solidarity in the struggle for Did she advocate violent acts? perspective of what the working class is workers' rights. By Rosemary Neidenberg Did she conspire to perform facing in order to feel their pain. He wants —Story and photo or advocate violent acts? No, us to provide him with an additional per- by John Catalinotto The pamphlet contains no, and no. Did they accuse spective on issues put forward by the MWMM. incontrovertible proof of pro- her of any of the above? No. Farrakhan impressively recited the gressive New York attorney The basis for the prosecu- preamble of the Declaration of Indepen- Lynne Stewart's integrity and tion was Stewart's June 2000 dence verbatim in order to re-emphasize MMM and did not go to work on Monday, innocence, and an unanswerable call to Reuters News Service with REVIEW book the point that when the government is Oct. 16, 1995. indictment of the U.S. Justice a news release—no conspiracy or not serving the needs of the people, the "The MWMM clearly recognizes that Department. secrecy here—from Sheikh Rah- people have the right to change the gov- the labor movement cannot be absent Shakespeare said, "Let's kill man. The release stated his with- ernment. from this next mobilization. We will be all the lawyers." Lynne Stewart drawal of support for a peace ini- To quote from the Million Worker mobilizing workers to participate on Oct. says, "You can't put the lawyers in jail." tiative involving the Egyptian govern- March Movement's Letter for a Millions 14th-16th around the demands put for- The U.S. Justice Department says, "Terrify ment and an Islamic organization in that More Movement Resolution: "Oct. 16th ward by the Million Worker March on Oct. the lawyers." The government set out to do country, and expressed the view that the 2005 marks the 10th Anniversary of the 17, at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington this through the prosecution of Stewart, Egyptian people should make such a deci- historic Million Man March (MMM). This D.C." who was appointed by a federal court to sion. No violence was advocated, nor did event was not only the largest gathering of Our Aug. 27 meeting was a reconfirma- represent Sheikh Omar Abdel Rahman. any result. African American people; it was also the tion of what Minister Louis Farrakhan Sheikh Rahman was convicted in 1995 of Sheikh Rahman's legal team, Stewart site of the greatest mobilization of workers stated at the kick-off MMM news confer- seditious conspiracy. and Ramsey Clark, wanted their blind in a single demonstration in American ence this past May in Washington, D.C.: Stewart, who attempted to energetically and ailing client, who did not speak or History. However, there was no specific "Millions More means that we are reach- appeal Sheikh Rahman's conviction and to understand English, to be extradited to labor organization that participated in the ing for the millions who carry the rich on alleviate his conditions of imprisonment, Egypt to serve his life sentence. Stewart MMM responsible for organizing a con- their backs." was charged with and convicted of "help- believed that publicity would aid in this scious Black worker presence with clear Thomas is a member of the Inter- ing terrorists." Knowing what has hap- effort and the Reuters dispatch would national working class demands. national Longshore and Warehouse pened to Lynne Stewart, an attorney con- serve that end. In better times, a minor "The Million Worker March Movement Union Local 10 executive board in San sidering representing a client slated for violation like this would perhaps result in is issuing the call to Black workers (organ- Francisco, a past secretary-treasurer of annihilation by the U.S. government must a 30-day suspension of her license. In this ized and unorganized) and the entire ILWU Local 10, a current member of the ask: "Should I risk my right to practice era of unending assaults on rights and lib- labor movement to endorse and mobilize executive committee of the Alameda law? Am I up for hard prison time?" Only erties, Stewart, a 65-year-old long-time for the 10th anniversary of the MMM, County Central Labor Council, and a the most dedicated and courageous will defender of the poor and defenseless, called the Millions More Movement on member of the Northern California take that chance. went through a slanderous trial and now Oct 14th-16th in Washington, D.C. chapter of the Coalition of Black Trade The government says, "Terrify the jury." faces a possible 30-year prison sentence. "The present attacks on all workers Unionists. Silvera is also secretary- This was accomplished in more ways than Two constitutional issues, among oth- have made the stakes for Black workers in treasurer of Teamsters Local 808 in one. It combined Stewart's trial with that ers, are cited in the pamphlet: the right of particular and the working class in general Long Island City, New York. Stokely of Ahmed Abdel Sattar, who was the liai- the accused to private consultations with much higher than they were when nearly and Holmes are members of the Troops son between Rahman, the legal team and lawyers, and the right of clients and attor- 2 million workers elected to attend the Out Now Coalition. his family and supporters in Egypt. In neys to execute defense strategy without October 2000 Sattar had issued a "fatwa" governmental interference. in the name of the sheikh calling for the Stewart's sentencing is set for Sept. 23. killing of Jews. What had this to do with Her defense team, refusing to be intimi- MUMIA SPEAKS Stewart? Nothing. dated, will pursue all avenues of appeal. But the association was planted in the Check for court location and how to con- An interview with Mumia Abu-Jamal from death row minds of the jury. The prosecution drop- tribute, big or small, at www.lynnestew- Columns by the Black journalist on prisons, capitalism, politics, revolution and solidarity. ped the name of Osama Bin Laden more art.org or call 212-625-9696. Additional essays on the prison-industrial complex by Monica Moorehead, Larry Holmes than once, and orated about the bombing Come to court. Support Lynne Stewart. and Teresa Gutierrez. $3 of the USS Cole off Yemen, although they Help turn back the onslaught on long- Order from International Action Center, 39 W. 14 St. #206 NY, NY 10011 212-633-6646 made no direct allegations that Stewart established rights and liberties. Page 6 Sept. 8, 2005 www.workers.org Camp Casey, Crawford, Texas Everyone's in accord: 'Troops out now!' By Eddie Boyd soon writing about the different people on and began to hear the jokes about what West Coast, played Taps on his bugle for Baltimore a note pad; one thing that everyone was in and who he prays for when he goes to all the fallen soldiers from Texas. It was one accord about was that "WE WANTED church. I just listened, not trying to get followed by a song from a Black lady Bulletin--Boyd sent the following THE TROOPS OUT NOW." caught up in the mess. whose grandson is in Iraq. There was not message to WW on Aug. 29 that he has Around 2 p.m. a caravan of bikers We arrived at the encampment. Even a dry eye at the ceremony. By this time I been threatened with termination from roared down the road that faced the camp. though it was smaller than camp 1, it seem said my goodbyes to the kind folks at camp his housing for veterans. Boyd wrote, I later found out that it was a group from to be more organized; a large white tent 2 and got on the shuttle headed back to "As of today if I speak out on the war in the local VFW and very much pro-war. We that could easily protect over 500 people, camp 1. any form my rental lease will be termi- were instructed not to confront the pro- but I noticed around 150. A woman with I got back to camp 1, and didn't realize nated and I will have to leave the prop- war people—to really ignore them. pink hair and a Code Pink button must how late it was, but I wasn't tired. I did erty where I now reside." I began talking with a guy who looked have seen my disappointment. She said in know that I had to wake early in order to as if he could have been one of the bikers an authoritative voice, "They'll be more catch my flight, but Dustin asked if I could Aug. 24—The first thing that hit me when who were passing through. He told me people here by tonight." tell some of the group the reason I came. I arrived in Texas was the heat. I have one that he'd tried to talk with one of the pro- I asked her what brought her here. She I told them about the way this country word for it: intense. It was heat like no war guys because his grandmother told said: "At first it was Cindy, and I just is headed, how police brutality is running other, with very little shade. Texas is not him to try and find out about the other wanted to support her. As I began to get rampant, how this administration spends for the fainthearted. side. As he began to ask the gentleman involved in more activities, it began to give more money to build prisons than schools Then, as I looked to the side of the road, about his point of view, the guy looked at me peace of mind." I then asked her where or hospitals. And I said that there are thou- I saw the crosses lined up like soldiers in him and said, "Go to hell." was she from and she told me Tennessee. sands of Cindy Sheehans in this country formation, all decorated; most have flow- I could see the frustration in his eyes as Soon after that I met a couple from who want to ask the president why we are ers. I slowed the car so I could take in what he replayed the incident to me. He said: California, the wife a schoolteacher and in a country that doesn't want us there, captured the attention of the entire world "He don't know but I am not only a vet but the husband worked in the medical field. why children who can't read or write can for such a long time. Each cross had the a Republican. I just don't agree with this She told me about how she only sees the be sent a fight a war, and why we can't take name of a fallen soldier. war, and this is the treatment I get." kids she teaches going off into the military care of our elderly or the vets when they We came to a fork in the road. On one I left shaking my head. We have a pres- because they have other issues that will come back home. side there was a group of folks draped in ident and administration that claim to be keep them from college, like poverty, drug I saw a sign that read "WHILE THE white and blue, and a large poster that read a uniter not a divider, but this country abuse and violence in the homes. She told PRESIDENT GOES FISHING, 82 MEN "We support our president." And on the seems to be more divided than ever before. about one child who would come to school HAVE DIED." Mr. President, we have other there were people, Black and white, I went through the camp checking the because the only meal he would have each spent almost $300 billion on this war, a women and men, and lots of children, play- different people who were here—Black, day would come from school, and of one war that most of the world is against. ing and gathering items for the camp. The white, men, women, children of all age child who came to school wearing the WHY? two parties were separated by a large plot groups playing. In particular were these same thing every day until he was told that As I boarded my plane in Houston, of land, a sort of "no-man's land." two little girls, one Black, one white. The he smelled; he then took her to his house headed back home, my thoughts went to I got out of the car and was immediately Black child looked to be around 7 and the and she found out that his family had no my police blue lights, my bright lights that met by my contact person: Dustin, a Navy white child seemed to be around 4 to 5, running water or electricity. are just in the poor areas of town, to my veteran and spokesperson for the group and they seemed to not have a care in the Economics is the number-one reason elected officials who seem to turn their Troops Out Now. Dustin introduced me to world. They just played and laughed; they people join the military—not freedom, not backs on the citizens, my city of police all the groups: Gold Star Mothers Against seemed to be so close. I thought to myself, helping other countries, not spreading intimidation and corruption, to my city the War, NAACP, Code Pink. And then "The world really needs to see this." democracy. where I can see garbage piled up outside there were just people who had lost loved Around 5 p.m. I took a ride to the sec- Around sunset Jeff, a marine who wrote a school and underneath a sign that says ones, and people who just cared about the ond camp. This camp was closer to the about his tour in Iraq and turned it into a "BELIEVE." I must ask WHY? issue at hand, and Cindy Sheehan. I was president's ranch. We passed his church, one-person play that is playing on the People, keep up the struggle. 'It's women who will stop this war!' "It's the women and only the women worker, Kyle McBee. The ones who are who will stop this war!" said William now known as the Crawford Eight. Smith as we sat together in the bright sun They drove through the night and at Camp Casey Detroit the afternoon of arrived at Camp Casey—which now has Aug. 24. After meeting Andrea Hackett a three camps and over 1,000 people tent- few hours later—her daughter, a soldier ing next to Bush's ranch in Crawford—on who returned in January after a year in Saturday morning at 10:30 a.m. They Iraq, is likely to be deployed there again attended a big rally that night and David since she has four more years to serve in managed to get Andrea on the list of the National Guard—I see what he is talk- speakers. Her address was carried on ing about. Cindy Sheehan isn't the only Amy Goodman's "Democracy Now." military Mom whom Mr. Bush had better David said she spoke with power and watch out for: Andrea Hackett is definitely heart. Apparently many military mothers someone to be reckoned with. and fathers came up to Andrea afterwards It was Hackett's expressed desire to go and thanked her for saying what they wish down to Camp Casey in Crawford, Texas, they could have said. On Sunday after- that set in motion a l-o-n-g van trip—24 noon the Crawford Eight got in their van hours each way—by eight Detroiters the and headed north toward home. weekend before. But instead of going to their homes The idea first came up at the weekly when they hit the Detroit city limits at 1 WW PHOTO: CHERYL LABASH meeting of Michigan Committee Against p.m. on Monday, Aug. 22, these by-now- Camp Casey Detroit. War & Injustice on Wednesday, Aug. 17. exhausted folks drove down to Grand By the next afternoon, David Sole, an inde- Circus Park in the middle of downtown So now Camp Casey Detroit is a couple stopped by and asked how many people fatigable activist/organizer, had rented a and set up Camp Casey Detroit—with the of tables, some folding and lawn chairs, are usually there. David said around six. van and called the eight folks who had said intention of keeping it going 24/7 until the two coolers with signs duct-taped to them So at noon, this man returned with lunch they'd like to go if it could be arranged. The huge anti-war mobilization on Sept. 24 in and water bottles staying chilled on ice and drinks for six. van cost $600 and he figured gas would Washington, D.C. I know that Isis, for one, when it doesn't melt as it did in today's hot When I got to Camp Casey Detroit about cost another $600. David started calling didn't get home until 3 a.m. Tuesday sun, assorted bags full of snacks, and anti- 2 p.m. this afternoon, Abayomi Azikiwe, a around to activist friends on Thursday and morning. And she was back a few hours war signs for rallies like we had tonight. highly respected independent journalist by Friday he'd collected the gas money. He later after having gotten a shower and a lit- The church across the street, Central Uni- and longtime activist, was there with figured, rightly as it's turning out, that the tle sleep. Other members of MECAWI, ted Methodist, has been Detroit's peace William Smith, William's daughter Isis, van rental money would come in through notably Jessica and Derek—both of whom church for decades, so when the church is and Syria Hackett's boyfriend Tommy. By donations after they'd returned home. have 9-to-5 jobs—joined the Crawford open their bathrooms are available for our 3:30 p.m., Pat Lent and Jim Grimm (Vet- So off they went—David and his wife Eight down at Camp Casey Detroit on use. And people have been generous about erans For Peace) had joined us, and Joyce, Andrea and her 16-year-old daugh- Monday and have spent every night there bringing food for lunches and dinners. David Sole and Kevin Carey (Workers ter Syria whose sister Tatjuana is in the since. They're down there as I write this on A military Mom who had seen Camp World) showed up about 4 p.m. Several military, Syria's boyfriend Tommy Carter, Aug. 24, sleeping in sleeping bags on lawn Casey Detroit on Monday night's TV news men from the neighborhood, among 2005 Barnard University graduate Isis chairs. The tents that were set up on brought down ice and water for the camp them Will and James, have been helping Sushiela, Wayne State University student Monday only lasted seven hours before the on Tuesday. And yesterday morning, a out too. While I was there, Will even gave Violeta Donawa, and a young Detroit police made them take them down. man who has a restaurant up the street out fliers about Camp Casey Detroit to www.workers.org Sept. 8, 2005 Page 7 Anti-war activists pursue Bush back to D.C. By Dustin Langley Sunday. He said, "I feel that it is our moral president returns to Washington. On Aug. Washington on the 10th anniversary of obligation to stand and to be courageous 31, the last day of the encampment at Camp the Million Man March. As George W. Bush heads back to with these families, and particularly Casey, the Bring Them Home Now Tour On Dec. 1-3, TONC, along with other Washington, D.C., ending a five-week Cindy, that have become the conscience of will launch three buses from Crawford, national anti-war, labor, and community vacation at his Crawford estate, he will be this nation." Texas. Each bus will carry military family organizations, will organize a series of pursued by busloads of activists and haun- American Indian Movement co-foun- members, Gold Star families and veterans. national and local "Shut Down the War" ted by an anti-war movement that has der Dennis Banks presented Cindy a cloak They will follow three different routes events. This will be the 50th anniversary gained new energy and enthusiasm from on behalf of her fallen son. across the U.S. for three weeks, stopping at of the day that Rosa Parks refused to give the efforts of Cindy Sheehan and thou- meetings and rallies against the war. The up her seat on a bus to a white man. This sands of organizers across the country. 'Phenomenal acoustics' buses will all converge on Washington, act of defiance launched the modern Civil Cindy Sheehan's encampment outside "We had no idea the ditch in Crawford D.C., for the massive march on Sept. 24. Rights struggle as a mass movement in Bush's ranch began on Aug. 6, when she had such phenomenal acoustics," said The example of Cindy Sheehan and of the streets. was joined by veterans and military fami- Nancy Lessin of Military Families Speak the thousands who have joined her This anniversary is an appropriate lies supporting her demand to speak to the Out. "There's a momentum building demonstrate that it is the people, not the occasion to take direct action to shut down president about the death of her son, across the country ..." politicians, who will stop this war. the war; not just the wars in Iraq and Casey Sheehan, in Iraq. This momentum has inspired vigils, sol- Afghanistan, but the war against working Since then, thousands have made the idarity rallies and speakouts across the 'Shut down the war!' people and people of color here at home. trip to Crawford, camping out in tents or country. Many local activists set up "Camp Organizers with the Troops Out Now TONC is calling on activists across the cars along a narrow road. Many were vet- Caseys" in their own towns. In New York's Coalition are mobilizing to maximize the country to organize student walkouts, erans or military families; some had never Union Square, organizers have main- energy and inspiration coming out of this sickouts, boycotts and other direct action been to an anti-war event before. tained a continued presence at Camp new phase of the struggle against the war. to say "Bring the troops home now, or Other visitors included the Rev. Al Casey NYC since Aug. 15, despite police Noting that opposition to the war is grow- we'll shut it down!" Sharpton, who joined hundreds near harassment and arrests. ing, military recruiting is at an all-time Bush's ranch for an interfaith service This momentum will not end when the low, and the movement is gearing up for Sept. 10 strategy meeting a season of renewed mobilization, organ- To launch this busy season of activity MILWAUKEE:. izers say that now is the time to turn up the heat. and protest, the Troops Out Now Coalition will be holding a Strategy Blow to recruiters This spring, the Troops Out Now Coa- Meeting in New York City at the Lang lition issued a call for a united demonstra- Center at New School University in tion in Washington, D.C., saying, "No- Manhattan on Sept. 10, from 1:30 to 6:00 thing is more important at this moment p.m. By Bryan G. Pfeifer Forty-four soldiers from Wisconsin, than for all to walk together on the high Labor organizers, anti-war activists, most between 18 and 30 and largely from road to unity. We believe that what we all veterans, clergy, military families and On Aug. 25 the Milwaukee School Board formerly unionized industrial manufac- do will be decisive. We must and we can community leaders will be coming from voted to increase awareness in the school turing areas, have died in Iraq. stop the war and get every U.S. soldier out all over the country to plan and coordinate district and provide more information to The Milwaukee struggle takes place of Iraq. It is up to all of us to do whatever activities on a national level geared parents about the "opt-out" provision in amid growing counter-recruitment activ- is necessary for our movement to rise to towards shutting the war down. the "No Child Left Behind" act. The admin- ity across the country. In fact, this is fast this challenge." Sessions will include: updates and plan- istration also pledged to review military becoming a central pillar of the anti-war TONC is organizing hundreds of buses, ning for Sept. 24-26, counter-recruiting and recruiters' activities. (www.jsonline.com) movement. cars and vans to travel to Washington beyond Sept. 24: shutting down the war. The act dictates that the Pentagon Although the final board resolution was from more than 50 organizing centers. This national meeting of grassroots automatically receives student informa- a watered-down version of one originally TONC is also looking beyond September activists will be an important opportunity tion including names, addresses, tele- submitted by progressive board member to continue the struggle against the war to assess the next steps to organize nation- phone numbers and emails—unless par- Peter Blewett, it is a victory nonetheless. and occupation. The Millions More ally to bring the troops home now. ents, or a student 18 or older, submits an At the very least it's a move toward edu- Movement events of Oct. 14-16 will be a Langley is a national organizer opt-out form. cating the wider public about the law's massive and historic mobilization in of the Troops Out Now Coalition. As the vote took place, Riverside stu- opt-out provision and about actual Bedford-Stuyvesant rally dents and those from Wauwatosa and recruiting techniques. Shorewood high schools, which are not Blewett's resolution would have lim- part of the Milwaukee district, hoisted ited recruiters to three days of visits per "Education not Militarism" signs. These school year. students and their allies are fed up with "One of our fundamental obligations is military preying techniques and the U.S. to protect the privacy of students and their war on Iraq. families," said Blewett. He voted in favor of the final resolution along with the eight people on the buses that stopped near us. other board members present. And then we had probably 40-50 people The final resolution directs the district show up at tonight's rally. leadership to make available to parents One of the cool things about Camp the opt-out information, and to outline Casey Detroit is the opportunity it gives all "cost-effective" means of providing folks to sit and talk with no sense of being this to parents. The school board esti- rushed or having to run off someplace else. mates that currently less than 1 percent It feels like the olden days when people of students or parents in Milwaukee just sat around and shared their stories. exercise their opt-out right, largely Now, that's what I call peace! because they don't know they can. I heard many powerful things today Before the Aug. 25 vote, over 60 people while sitting around talking and at the attended the Aug. 23 Milwaukee School A rally and speak-out with the theme rally, but there is one statement that I will Board's Rules and Policy Committee and "Community Under Attack, Building A not forget. I was interviewing Andrea 18 testified in favor of restrictions on Fightback" was held Aug. 27 in the Hackett, knowing I'd want to write this day recruiters. No military recruiters or their Bedford-Stuyvesant area of Brooklyn, N.Y. up in my journal and blog. As she was get- supporters attended. The rally, organized by Harriet's ting ready to leave, I said: "Andrea, there's Students from the working-class and Daughters, connected the issue of oppos- one more thing. As we know, George Bush majority students-of-color Riverside High ing imperialist wars abroad with the strug- has changed his reasons several times for School testified about the recruiters' sex- gle for social justice at home. why we went to war against Iraq. His lat- ist behavior, and their aggressiveness and Harriet refers to Harriet Tubman, a focus on recruiting African American and leader of the underground railroad who est is to say that we must 'finish the task' Latin@ students. helped hundreds of slaves escape from so our fallen soldiers will not have died in the Southern slave states to the North in vain. How does that strike you?" Because of the students' and their allies' the decade before the U.S. Civil War. the Million Worker March Movement, Jer- With fire in her eyes, Andrea replied: actions, School Superintendent William Harriet's Daughters—well-known and icho Movement, Al-Awda Right to Return "Because his war was premised on lies, Andrekopoulos said at the meeting that he respected activists such as Nellie Bailey Coalition, Harlem Tenants Council, Troops their lives have already been lost in vain. would "investigate" the recruiters' activi- (at mike), Brenda Stokely, Rosemari Out Now Coalition, December 12th That's why we're trying to bring them ties in city schools. Mealy, Joan Gibbs and Cleo Silvers—are Movement, International Action Center, home, so no more will die in vain." It will now be up to the counter- carrying forth Tubman's fight-back legacy. ProLibertad, Malcolm X Grassroots Yes, it is the women who will stop this recruitment movement to hold the board Longtime freedom fighters Amina Baraka, Movement, Free the Cuban Five Com- war. accountable and see to it that real action Iyaluua Ferguson, Mae Jackson and Una mittee, Free Mumia Abu-Jamal Coalition — Patricia Lay-Dorsey is taken. Mulzac were honored during the rally. and many others. Camp Casey, Detroit Speakers included representatives from —Story & photos by Monica Moorehead Page 8 Sept. 8, 2005 www.workers.org Venezuela offers oil for the people – of Jamaica and the U.S. By Berta Joubert-Ceci beyond. Under President Chávez' pro- zuela to upgrade the capacity of produc- tion." He added, "We could have an posal of ALBA - the Bolivarian Alternative tion of a refinery from 30,000 barrels a impact on 7 million to 8 million persons." While the Bush administration and for the Americas, a program of integra- day to 50,000. President Chávez told the Rev. Jesse friends continue their unrelenting cam- tion for Latin America and the Caribbean The two countries deepened their part- Jackson, who was visiting Venezuela for paign of lies, slander and hostility against that emphasizes social aspects and eco- nership not only in terms of energy. three days during the commemoration of Bolivarian Venezuela, President Hugo nomic cooperation while stressing soli- Following the precepts of cooperation Dr. Martin Luther King's famous "I Have Chávez is working incessantly to find darity - Venezuela's energy resources and solidarity of ALBA, Venezuela will set a Dream" speech, that he would like Jack- ways of using Venezuela's oil and energy form the basis for this great initiative. up a fund of $60 million for socioeco- son's organization to help identify com- wealth to bring hope and relief to millions When leaders of Caribbean states met nomic projects on the island. Venezuela munities in the United States. Plans of people throughout the Americas at the end of June in Venezuela in the and Jamaica also initiated talks on coop- include the distributing oil to poor house- region, including the poor in the United First Energy Gathering of Caribbean eration in other areas like medicine, edu- holds through Venezuelan PDVSA's States. Chiefs of State to ratify PetroCaribe, it sig- cation, tourism, disasters response, sci- CITGO stations in the United States. After the U.S.-backed oil sabotage dur- naled a profound change in trade rela- ence and technology. According to the Venezuelan Bolivarian ing the winter of 2002-2003, Venezuela's tions in the region. PetroCaribe is an Other parallel initiatives under ALBA News Agency, President Chávez said that oil production has greatly improved. This Energy Cooperation agreement that will are PetroSur and PetroAndina, both in the Bernardo Alvarez, Venezuelan am- is because of the dedicated work of hun- help poor Caribbean countries overcome South America. However, one such new bassador to the Untied States, has dreds of Venezuelans identified with the their terrible energy crises, a by-product initiative heads north to the United reported that the embassy has already Bolivarian process, among them oil and of the high oil prices in the world market. States. received 140 oil requests. Chávez was other industry workers, people in the Despite a threatening letter from Pre- During the weekly Aló Presidente TV quoted as saying that "the intermediaries, community, pro-revolution members of sident George W. Bush to the partici- and Radio program, President Chávez the transnational companies, are exploit- the military and a loyal administration. pants, 13 leaders signed the agreement announced that Venezuela would like to ing them; we are not going to lose a cent, Soon after the sabotage recovery, the with Venezuela. provide discounted heating oil and free we are only helping by supplying directly Revolution began to use the profits of In late August in Montego Bay, Jamai- eye operations to people in poor commu- to those most in need." PDVSA, the national oil industry, to can President James Patterson signed an nities in the United States. He said that President Chávez also included poor finance special essential projects of edu- agreement with the Venezuelan President Venezuela supplies the United States with people in the United States in the "Miracle cation, health care, job and housing devel- Chávez, making Jamaica the first English- 1.5 million barrels of oil per day and that Mission." This is a health-care program opment called "Misiones" (Missions). speaking country to sign on to the ALBA- "we would like to provide a part of this 1.5 run jointly by Cuba and Venezuela to pro- These are aimed at elevating the people's PetroCaribe initiative. Under this accord, million barrels of oil to poor communi- vide free eye surgery to those in need. The standard of living, particularly the 80 per- Venezuela will supply oil to Jamaica at a ties. operations will be performed in Cuba, and cent of the population that has lived in below-market price of $40 a barrel. "There is a lot of poverty in the U.S.," Venezuela will provide the transportation. poverty under the previous administra- Besides paying low interest and through Chavez said, "and I don't believe that Chávez stated that 150,000 people from tions, which were close allies of the long-term loans, Jamaica can pay Vene- everything reflects the American Way of the United States could benefit from this United States. zuela with goods and services. Life. Many people die of cold in the win- program each year, and that those inter- The oil is now benefiting people not Other agreements were also signed. ter. Many die of heat in the summer, ested should contact the Venezuelan only within Venezuelan borders, but Among them is one that will allow Vene- many are unemployed and die of starva- Embassy. Social missions and revolutionary neighborhoods By Dante Strobino asked Matilde Coromoto—whom every- named for the date in 1958 when big mural of a bombed plane, which con- Caracas, Venezuela one calls Mrs. Robinson because of her the territory was liberated from demns the terrorism of the United States vital role in the mission—about the sex- the reactionary rule and specifically that of Washington- Members of social movements from education classes, she told us that there is of the president at backed anti-Cuba terrorist all over the world recently convened in an entire class dedicated to this subject the time, Marcos Luis Posada Carilles. Caracas, Venezuela, for the World throughout elementary and middle Perez Jimenez—has In neighborhood Caricuao, Festival of Youth and Students. Here we school. That's quite unlike the one-year been fighting for years we were told about the newly witnessed this country's revolutionary courses given in the United States that to maintain its autonomy. emerging structure of bottom-up socialist process, and can now bring our often only teach abstinence. In the late 1950s, decision making. The neighbor- observations and insight back home to Mission Sucre carries this education Jimenez himself recog- hoods are organized so that they continue the struggle for the liberation further, taking higher education to all cor- nized the terrible living come together to form "parro- of the international working class and ners of the country. Here in the capital city conditions, including quias" that consist of 250-400 oppressed peoples. of Caracas, a Bolivarian University was "chozas" or huts made households. Within these The revolution in Venezuela is on the established to defend the revolution. The of wood and tin. He Eyewitness . parroquias they establish CARACAS move, with missions and social programs Bolivarian University's classes, which had entire neighbor- issue-oriented committees. developing mechanisms to promote full charge no tuition fees, are based on hoods rebuilt with For instance there are com- participation by the masses of people. "municipalization." more stable housing mittees on water, health, The neighborhoods are being organ- Municipalization allows students hands made of concrete and food, transportation, edu- ized, with women's leadership. A direct -on practice in the community, to more then the people threw him out of power, a cation, and so on. democracy responsible to the needs of the deeply develop their skills, rather limiting real example of how capitalist infrastruc- Each parroquia has different commit- people is being created. them to the theoretical, classroom-ori- ture can be reappropriated. tees based on its needs. If the mayor and There are currently 11 social "misiones" ented education models the United States The original organizing in 23 de Enero the reigning government do not give being implemented throughout the coun- inherited from France and Russia. was based on principles of eliminating them facilities or resources they need for try. One revolutionary program has Since these missions were imple- crimes such as theft, drugs and violence. some project, such as new roads or brought doctors, mostly Cuban, to indige- mented, illiteracy has been virtually erad- The people did this by becoming intimate buses; then the committee can take out a nous and Black people, children, women icated. Unemployment has plummeted. and open with all family and community loan from the national bank to carry out and the elderly who had previously never Houses are being built for the working members. This openness and familiarity the needed improvements. The loans are been given this level of medical attention. poor, giving people both houses and jobs laid the basis for social cohesion and soli- given with no interest during the first The program incorporates social security, in the public construction industry. darity. two years and only 1 percent interest the free medical care, sports and education. Another mission, Plan Mercal, prom- Recently 23 de Enero has been able to following years. On Aug. 20-21 President Hugo Chavez ises to keep the people fed by providing demilitarize slightly because its grassroots If these parroquias decide on something traveled to Cuba to attend the ceremonies stores with half-priced and free food. This style of organizing is being recognized and collectively that should be defended, they for the first graduating class of several plan has also brought "Casas de Alimen- emulated by other neighborhoods. They themselves have the power to create thousand Cuban-trained Venezuelan doc- taciones" to the neighborhoods that need now can take off their masks and live in a enforceable laws. This is truly bottom-up tors. them most. beautiful, safe, free space. grassroots participatory democracy. Mission Robinson promises thousands These facilities cook and serve hun- The walls are covered in murals com- Throughout Venezuela there are count- of previously uneducated people, young dreds of free meals every day. Often these memorating their revolutionary teachers less liberated and truly inspirational and old, an education through the high- same facilities are used for collectivized such as Jose Marti, Che Guevara, Simon neighborhoods where class conscious- school level. Subjects are determined child care. While the parents work, their Bolivar and others such as Nestor who ness, women's power, equality and sense based on the community's needs, for kids hang out and get fed. died in 1996 in armed struggle defending of unity provide evidence that a better example sex-education courses. When we One neighborhood—23 de Enero, the neighborhood. On the perimeter is a world is possible. www.workers.org Sept. 8, 2005 Page 9 Iraq's constitutional quagmire shows Bush plan in shambles By Fred Goldstein after the Turkish government refused to oil in the south at Basra. everyone's attention on the backroom allow the U.S. 4th Army to use Turkish soil Back in July, when the resistance was negotiations between the conspirators in For some time now it has been the strat- to invade Iraq. Talabani's forces fought struggling against the election, Dulaimi, the Green Zone. The world is supposed to egy of the Bush administration to wage side by side with the U.S. military during the head of a major Sunni institution become engrossed and take sides as the relentless war against the anti-occupation the war and lent its forces for the invasion called the Sunni Endowment and a mem- various factions fight over centralism ver- Iraqi resistance fighters while simultane- of Falluja. ber of the present government, was sus federalism, secularism versus Islam, ously trying to establish a stable puppet Another moving force is Abdulaziz al preparing to issue a fatwah calling on all etc. These are not issues that the world- regime through a so-called "democratic," Hakim, leader of the SCIRI, which refused Sunnis to participate in the elections. wide movement should be preoccupied U.S.-orchestrated constitutional, parlia- from the beginning of the war to support This entire process was overseen by Zal- with. mentary process. It is a strategy calculated the resistance. Its armed Badr Brigade may Khalilzad, U.S. ambassador to Iraq, For all those who support the resistance to isolate and erode the resistance. never fired a shot against the occupiers who worked day and night, seven days a and who support sovereignty and self- At the present juncture, the opposite and recently has opened fire on the forces week for months to strong-arm this pro- determination for the Iraqi people the has happened. The resistance is more of Muktada al Sadr, who is opposed to the cess. Khalilzad is part of the Cheney- issue is not what is in the constitution of powerful and widespread than ever. occupation. Al Hakim became a member Wolfowitz grouping of world conquerors the puppets of Washington but the fact According to the Pentagon, insurgents of the original hand-picked Governing going back to the first Bush administra- that the whole gang is tied to imperialism. launch 65 or more attacks on U.S. forces Council (after his brother, also a member, tion. He had a hand in shaping the doc- The Shah of Iran was a "secularist" and every day. Even by Pentagon accounts, it is was assassinated) and the Provisional trine of enforcing U.S. world supremacy, modernizer. But he was put on his throne more sophisticated and effective. Everyone Government under Bremmer. He is the which later became the Bush Doctrine. He by the CIA in 1953 and proceeded to sup- associated with the occupation is at risk. oldest son of Grand Ayatollah Muhsin al was an adviser to the UNOCAL oil com- press revolutionaries and progressives, No official or businessman can travel any- Hakim, who waged a relentless campaign pany when it was negotiating with the institute torture, and give the oil wealth of where without being flanked by heavy against the land reforms, women's rights Taliban in Afghanistan for a pipeline. He the country to U.S. oil companies. The security. Numerous military operations and communism after the 1958 revolution was an architect of the war against Afgha- Saudi monarchy is clerical, feudal and have been carried out in cities and towns which ousted British colonialism. nistan and the creation of the puppet gov- repressive. Women are veiled and the to "clean out" the resistance. And after Another mover is Ahmad Chalabi, a ernment of Ahmed Karzai. And he was an royal family rules. They have been clients each operation, including the devastation "secular" Shiite. Chalabi is an exiled advocate of the war against Iraq. of the U.S. government and the U.S. oil of Falluja, the liberation forces re-emerge banker, under indictment for embezzle- companies since World War II. to strike at the occupation. The real issue The starting point for a position of inter- ment in Jordan and the original favorite The political process, on the other hand, of the Pentagon which accompanied him As the Bush administration's constitu- national solidarity with the heroic Iraqi has degenerated. The counter-revolution- into Iraq with 700 troops before the war tional strategy disintegrates and the mili- resistance is to brand this gang of "consti- ary exiles and domestic collaborators with ended in April 2003. Chalabi was a CIA tary is unable to subdue the resistance tution" givers as collaborators with the the Pentagon, assembled by Washington, operative who tried to engineer an insur- despite hundreds of billions of dollars occupation. They are accomplices in the are at each others throats trying to grab rection against Saddam Hussein in the spent, thinkers within and outside of the attempt by Washington to reconquer Iraq. territory, oil, and power—all backed up, of mid-1990s. In the run-up to the war Pentagon and the State Department may Various anti-occupation forces within course, by F-16s, Abrams tanks, U.S. hel- Chalabi supplied "intelligence" to the very well begin to lean towards stoking the Iraq may feel it is necessary and helpful to icopter gunships and 138,000 U.S. Pentagon and propaganda to the U.S. big divisions that have emerged even further. their cause to utilize the parliamentary troops—set to increase to 160,000 by business media about Saddam's non-exis- Divide and conquer through internal process in the struggle to unmask the December. tent "weapons of mass destruction." His strife may be a political humiliation for the occupation. Others may be firmly opposed The latest announcement on Aug. 22 of mouthpiece was Judith Miller of the New militarist, would-be conquerors in the to such maneuvers. That is the business of an agreement, or lack of agreement, on a York Times. Chalabi, deputy prime minis- Bush-Cheney-Rumsfeld camp. But strate- the Iraqi anti-occupation forces. constitution shows that the Bush strategy ter, reinvented himself as head of the so- gic necessity may force them to foment But the anti-war movement in the U.S. is in shambles—Bush's claims that "demo- called United Iraqi Alliance in the Jan. 30 division as a primary weapon. This would and around the world must give not an iota cracy has triumphed" notwithstanding. elections. be a drastic retreat from all-out military of credence to Washington's constitu- The big-business media has repeatedly Sunni leaders, such as Saleh al victory. But they may regard this as far less tional machinations and any other referred to these negotiations as between Mutlaq, Adnan Dulaimi and other Sunni humiliating than being driven out by the attempt to stabilize its rule and weaken the Shiites, Kurds, and Sunnis. This is calcu- members of parliament and the consti- resistance. The mass sentiment against resistance. lated to both give the false impression that tutional committee, who were brought in the occupation is likely to frustrate such The only way any constitution can pos- the power brokers assembled by at the insistence of Washington, are now devious efforts or attempts to engineer sibly reflect the sovereignty and self-deter- Washington represent the mass of the crying foul because the reactionary separate oil regimes in the north and the mination of the Iraqi people is when the people and also is aimed to sow division. Kurdish forces under Talabani are trying south that would be beholden to the U.S. occupation and all its hangers on have This already discredited agreement was to grab the oil in the north at Kirkuk and oil barons. been driven out and the resistance organ- made between a group of traitors to Iraq al Hakim of SCIRI is trying to grab the For now the capitalist press is focusing izes the new order in Iraq. who have attached themselves to U.S. 'We are one!' imperialism. They are using a U.S.-con- trived constitutional process, drawn up under the Transition Administrative Law Unity soccer match between (TAL) dictated by Paul Bremmer, former U.S. viceroy of Iraq. Bremmer drew up the plans when the Bush administration North, South Korea finally realized it was facing a major resist- ance. Bremmer had appointed a Governing Council which was growing more discredited by the day. Washington tried to get by with the appointment of a By Fred Goldstein Young, said last week, 'Our position is that sile] that can carry a warhead to the heart provisional government, but finally had to North Korea has a general right to peace- of Washington. It would be good for the agree to elections under pressure from "A crowd of more than 60,000 South ful use of nuclear energy, for agricultural, balance of power.'" Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani. Sistani, a the Koreans erupted into cheers of 'We are medical and power-generation purposes. The WSJ dispatch concluded, "While Shiite spiritual leader of the Supreme one!' as a group of visiting North Koreans In this our position differs from that of that is an extreme view, it isn't entirely Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq entered the World Cup soccer stadium Washington.'" uncommon. A poll in early August by (SCIRI). Sistani was under pressure from here for a match celebrating liberation But sections of the South Korean Chosun Ilbo, a conservative South the masses. from Japanese rule," according to an arti- masses go much further than the Korean newspaper, and Gallup found 66 cle in the Aug. 16 Wall Street Journal, Unification Minister. "Yoon Yong Wan, a percent of South Koreans age 16 to 25 Conspirators in the Green Zone datelined Seoul. 37-year-old repairman for Kia Motors in would side with North Korea in a war Among the forces that agreed to this This overwhelmingly favorable reaction Seoul, said he hopes 'North Korea can between the U.S. and the North. Just 28 constitution is Jalal Talabani of the to the North Korean delegation came at a build an [intercontinental ballistic mis- percent would side with the U.S." Kurdish Democratic Party. The Talabani "unity" soccer match between the North and South Korean soccer teams in which Workers World Newspaper clan has had an off-again, on-again rela- tionship with the CIA. His father worked neither side displayed their national flag— SUBSCRIBE NOW ! with the CIA against the Iraqi Revolution only "unity" flags were flown. of 1958 after it started moving to the left. This sentiment is partly the explanation Jalal, the son, collaborated with for the growing rift between the South Washington against the Iranian Korean government and the U.S. govern- Special introductory rate $2 for 8 weeks $25 for one year Revolution after the overthrow of the U.S. ment on the question of the nuclear rights NAME _________________________________________PHONE/E-MAIL _________________________________ puppet Shah in 1979. of the North. Talabani's role during the war was to The WSJ article reported, "South ADDRESS_______________________________________CITY/STATE/ZIP _________________________________ make available to the U.S. forces his army, Korea's top official on relations with the Clip and return to: Workers World 55 W. 17 St., 5th Fl., New York, NY 10011 the Peshmerga, as fighters in the north North, Unification Minister Chung Dong Subscribe online: www.workers.org Page 10 Sept. 8, 2005 www.workers.org John Johnson Why his death U.S. gov't guilty of criminal neglect went unnoticed Continued from page 1 other retail giants should be required to ship, gratis, cloth- By Monica Moorehead charge of dealing with disasters, the Federal Emergency ing and other necessities to meet basic needs. Government Management Agency, warned of the potential for disaster as food storage supplies in warehouses throughout the When ABC newsreader Peter Jennings died Aug. early as 2001. Midwest and other regions should be made available. 7 of lung cancer, the story dominated the air waves With the complete evacuation of New Orleans, tens of Every form of transport—planes, helicopters, buses, and electronic media for many days. thousands trapped without food, water, or electricity, thou- ambulances, small boats—should be mobilized to the region. Entertainment Tonight gave great prominence to sands of homes destroyed and the death toll mounting by the These and other measures should be immediately imple- this event. hour, this is a disaster of unprecedented proportion. It pro- mented by the federal government based on its emergency Just the opposite happened when John H. foundly affects Black people, who are a major part of the pop- powers and responsibilities. Johnson died one day later on Aug. 8. Once his ulation in Louisiana, Alabama, and Mississippi, and are suf- In other words, all of this society's material and human obituary appeared, he was all but forgotten by the fering disproportionately because they are subject to racist resources should be made available to the victims in this cri- big-business media. discrimination—which leaves them in poverty and most vul- sis. The corporations have control of these resources, but Just who was John H. Johnson? Johnson was nerable to such disasters. Seventy percent of New Orleans' the workers who created them have every right to them. the 87-year-old African-American publisher of two residents are Black and live in apartheid-like conditions. Let the government and the bosses pay. Putting people— of the most well-known Black-oriented magazines Some politicians are calling it "our tsunami." The tsunami the suffering people of the delta—before profits should be ever, Jet and Ebony. last December also took an excessive toll of life because of the order of the day. The property restrictions of capitalism Johnson grew up poor under segregation in criminal neglect. But a tsunami comes rarely. Hurricanes must be overruled in the interest of the masses. Arkansas. His father was killed in a saw mill acci- come to the delta region almost every year. This disaster was Particularly, the oil companies should be forced to cough dent when he was 8 years old. There was no Black not only predictable but predicted. What seems like an up billions of dollars for reconstruction out of the super- high school there, so as a teenager he and his inevitable tragedy caused by nature was foreseen long ago profits that they pump out of the delta region every day. mother migrated to Chicago where he lived until by scientists, engineers, government agencies, environmen- ExxonMobil refines 493,000 barrels of oil a day in Baton his death. talists and experts in disaster management. Rouge; Chevron, 325,000 a day in Pascgoula, Miss.; He founded Johnson Publishing Company back The science writer for the Houston Chronicle wrote on ConocoPhillips, 247 ,000 a day, to name a few. All this in 1942 and to this day it remains the number-one Dec. 1, 2001: wealth has been taken out of the region, not to speak of the African-American publishing company worldwide. "New Orleans is sinking. wealth spent trying to conquer Iraq and its oil. And they His first magazine, Negro Digest, led to the 1945 "And its main buffer from a hurricane, the protective should not only give back the profits they gouged from the founding of Ebony magazine, which still comes out Mississippi River delta, is quickly eroding away, leaving the people by raising gasoline prices to over $3 a gallon—they monthly and has over 1 million subscribers. Jet historic city perilously close to disaster. ... should be forced to lower prices drastically. magazine began in 1951 and became the number- "So vulnerable, in fact, that earlier this year the Federal In general, the giant multinationals should be made to one Black weekly publication. In 1973, Johnson Emergency Management Agency ranked the potential dam- ante up because of all the wealth and labor they have taken Publishers also created Fashion Fair Cosmetics, age to New Orleans as among the three likeliest, most cata- from New Orleans—through which so much of the wealth of skin products that cater mainly to women of color. strophic disasters facing this country." The other two were this country flows—while the majority of people are left with If you are Black in the U.S., Jet and Ebony were an earthquake in San Francisco and a "terrorist attack on just enough to survive. at one time or another an important part of your New York City." As for the reconstruction effort, the authorities are taking social upbringing. Regardless of your economic The federal, state and local governments knew of the a narrow approach. They are talking about months and status and political outlook, these two magazines danger. They knew what caused it and how to deal with it. years to recover. People with flood insurance can stand in covered politics, sports, entertainment, business, But they did little or nothing. They left the people of the line once they can get back to their neighborhoods. Poor international developments, etc.—all from a Black delta region unaware and helpless to deal with the people who have no flood insurance are on their own. perspective. Jet and Ebony helped to fill a huge inevitable disaster. Perhaps FEMA will give a few handouts to tide them over void in terms of what the white-dominated media Why did they do nothing? An Aug. 30 dispatch of Editor for a while. All the racist hysteria being whipped up about neglected to cover with the issues that directly and Publisher revealed that "$250 million in crucial proj- "looters" is a cover-up for the fact that the government has impacted Black America. ects" planned by the Army Corps of Engineers in the delta made no provisions to feed the people, and that so many Even though Johnson was a capitalist and polit- for shoring up levees and building pumping stations could Black people are living in dire poverty. ically conservative, his magazines covered the not be carried out. "The Corps never tried to hide the fact But the truth is, there is a much more rapid and compre- social issues of the day—from the civil rights strug- that the spending pressures of the war in Iraq, as well as hensive solution to turning the situation around right in gles to the Black Power movement to developments homeland security—coming at the same time as federal tax front of the government's nose. There are millions of work- in Africa. cuts—was the reason for the strain. ers who can be mobilized to go to the region to help out. The fact that someone like Jennings, a well- "The 2004 hurricane season was the worst in decades. In Right now there is a "housing boom" where hundreds of known white journalist, would get more attention spite of that, the federal government came back this spring thousands of construction workers are toiling away as real- than someone like Johnson, an African-American with the steepest reduction in hurricane and flood-control estate developers race to make super-profits on the specu- media pioneer, exposes once again the double stan- funding for New Orleans in history." lation in the housing market. dard that flows from racism—U.S. style. Certainly The Houston Chronicle's 2001 report cited a study by a What is needed is a full-scale mobilization of the building white media moguls, like Ted Turner and Rupert consortium of government agencies several years ago. This trades, construction workers, hydraulic engineers, medical Murdoch, would never be treated in such a dismis- consortium recommended that between $2 billion and $3 bil- personnel, social-service workers and workers from all over sive way if they were to pass away tomorrow. In lion dollars was needed for projects that could rectify the the country to stop capitalist business as usual and mobilize fact, they would be treated like gods. problem. That is less than the cost of one month of spend- to help the people of New Orleans, Biloxi and the delta ing on the Iraq occupation, which costs $4 billion a month at region—fully funded by the government. the minimum! Certainly part of the $300-billion-plus spent Millions of unemployed workers could be hired at union on the war could have been used to take preventive meas- wages to pitch in. Organized labor could be in the vanguard Mattachine ures. of organizing the reconstruction effort. Of course, while Bush is the immediate culprit, it must not With all their technology, the bosses are preoccupied with how they can collect damages from the insurance industry, victory sparks be forgotten that the Democratic Party voted for the war and every nickel spent on it. So the Democrats are also crimi- how they can get their profitable refineries back on line, and nally liable for both the devastation in New Orleans and the how they can resume making profits in the area as soon as illegal war and occupation. Now that the capitalist authorities have let this disaster possible. The working class, in contrast, is concerned with the fate of the masses of people, especially the Black, Latin@, internal debate happen, Bush is taking a business-as-usual approach to deal- poor white and the exploited who suffer the most and will Continued from page 2 ing with the disaster. Just as during the tsunami, it took him get the least help. days to disrupt his vacation and step away from his Once the reconstruction effort begins and communica- "He told us we were recruiting the wrong peo- Crawford ranch. tions become possible, unions, community organizations, ple—we should aim for the important people The federal government is the only authority capable of and movement groups should set up independent channels among the film colony, the queens with money and mobilizing the resources necessary for the rescue mission by which they can give aid and assistance to the people of influence, not the workers, not the ribbon clerks." and the reconstruction. It is said that a million people were the stricken area. Mattachine leaders arranged a sit-down with Dr. evacuated from New Orleans and the surrounding parishes Mass mobilization, putting people before property, is Alfred Kinsey in 1953 while he was in Los Angeles (counties) before the hurricane. Actually, the government how reconstruction projects are handled in Cuba and under on his travels. But Kinsey couldn't make it at the did not evacuate anyone. The authorities simply declared a the socialist organization of society. The demand should be last minute. mandatory evacuation and then left it to people to get out. put forward that the government treat this as a national The cancellation may have been more than a Now they are saying that "at least a hundred thousand peo- emergency crisis of the greatest magnitude. Measures scheduling problem. Kinsey may have wanted to ple" were left in the city itself. should be taken in proportion to the extent of the crisis— distance himself from homosexual rights. Kinsey's People have no place to stay. Many have no food. Their measures such as giving extended unemployment insur- scientific conclusion that human sexuality could personal belongings are all gone. Medical care is cut off. ance to everyone in the area. Personal property loss best be represented as a spectrum helped equip Schools are inaccessible. Countless are homeless. The imme- should be fully restored. And the government should sub- homosexual activism. But it also made Kinsey the diate crisis requires a national mobilization of medical per- ordinate all its efforts to giving effective short term and target of the red-baiting, lavender-hating ideo- sonnel, social workers, rescue experts, hydraulic engineers. long term aid to the victims. But at the same time the logues of McCarthyism. Food, water and medical supplies should be immediately working class in this country should try to find a way to get The Mattachine founders found themselves in commandeered for the emergency from agribusiness, super- beyond the capitalist authority and bring whatever aid the same crosshairs. market chains, pharmaceutical companies. Wal Mart and and assistance it can to the people of the delta. Next: Twisting the knife of anti-communism. www.workers.org Sept. 8, 2005 Page 11 Bush 'morality' cuts funding for HIV education in Central America By LeiLani Dowell educating current prostitutes about the practice that exploits women and young After Coburn's letter was released, disease. One aspect is the organization of girls is parties and games." And Coburn USAID contacted PSI to tell them that It would seem to be common sense that Loteria games, using the game's icons to said that the Noches Vives program of future funding for the organization- those who are members of a given commu- explain aspects of safer sex and condom going into the bars and brothels was a –almost half of PSI's budget— had been nity would know the best way to reach out use. Loteria is a popular and well-loved "misuse of funds to organize and sponsor denied. The Sun reports that while deci- to that community. This is exactly the game throughout much of Central parties and dance contests to exploit vic- sions on contracts are usually made by approach that a program organized by America, and as such creates a comfort- tims of the sex trade." USAID officials with expertise in the area Population Services International has able setting for prostitutes to learn about Other senators have denounced being addressed, this decision was made used to tackle the crisis of HIV/AIDS in these topics. Coburn's letter, but only in the most chau- by a "high-level political appointee." Central America. The other aspect is outreach in the vinistic terms. Larry Craig of Idaho said This USAID ruling must be seen in the This work could not be needed more. brothels and bars where prostitutes work. that "ignoring the problem by hamstring- context of the larger push by the religious The World Bank reported in 2003 that The outreach specialists sit down with ing proven programs is a disservice to U.S. right to use "morality" to guide health four of the six Latin American countries prostitutes and explain citizens who are policies. In 2003 Congress passed WW with the highest prevalence of HIV/AIDS how to use a condom, and impacted by the wave of President George W. Bush's Global AIDS are in Central America. According to the the importance of safer immigrants from these Initiative, which has not only siphoned Baltimore Sun, the rate of HIV among sex. countries." money from realistic AIDS education pro- prostitutes in Central America is as high The Baltimore Sun Both responses to an grams to abstinence-only programs, but as 20 percent. A report released in 2002 by the reports: "Last year, PSI's program made contact ANALYSIS effective program com- pletely ignore the base also denies funds to "any group or organ- ization that does not have a policy explic- National University of Costa Rica cited with 422,000 people in high-risk groups issue of HIV/AIDS in Central America. itly opposing prostitution and sex traffick- irregular use of condoms by sex workers and sold 14 million condoms in the region. If these senators are really concerned ing." Last year, this requirement was in Central America as a factor in the high In parts of Guatemala, where PSI has sig- with the "dehumanizing and abusive" extended from international to U.S.- risk of infection with the AIDS virus. Only nificantly expanded its work, HIV infec- practice of prostitution and the "wave of based groups. one percent of the 1,600 prostitutes they tions among prostitutes have fallen by a immigrants," they can focus their energy True morality lies within the hearts of surveyed throughout the region knew the third." on the economic and political realities of the people who fight for their rights, proper way to use a condom. The report Despite the success of this program, a capitalism—which not only force many including the right to accurate and reli- recommended an increase in educational U.S. senator has denounced the funding of women and men into prostitution, but able sex education for themselves and outreach to sex workers, and that organi- PSI by the United States Agency for also force many women and men to their communities; it is not dictated by a zations "take into account the cultural dif- International Development. In a letter, leave their families behind and seek group of naysayers who place "family val- ferences of the population" when deci- Sen. Tom Coburn of Oklahoma belittled work in the United States. But they ues" over the saving of lives. An intensi- sions are made about allocation of the organization of the Loteria games, should leave the fighting of a world pan- fied response on the streets is needed to resources. (AFP) writing, "There is something seriously demic to the medical experts on combat the intensification of the right- Through the PSI program, former pros- askew at USAID when the agency's HIV/AIDS and members of communi- wing attack on the lives of women and titutes use a two-pronged approach to response to a dehumanizing and abusive ties that are most affected by it. men worldwide. Hurricane tragedy could have been averted Continued from page 1 No one knows how many lives have media claim that the city of New Orleans ple were killed, the number would have spilled into the water with the storm. been lost or the extent of the damage done was spared by the change of direction have been higher were it not for the Thirty-three percent of the United States' by the hurricane. The Gulf Coast was of the storm and that things could socialist response of revolutionary oil comes from the Gulf Coast. pounded and entire buildings collapsed. have been worse. However, had the city Cuba, and a head of state who uses his Hurricane Ivan missed New Orleans. It One apartment building fell from the taken proper preparations, the loss of influence to mobilize the Cuban people. veered to the east and New Orleans nar- wind and surging water, and at least 30 life, and the still potential loss of life, What happened in Cuba is markedly rowly escaped what many call an inevi- people there are said to have been killed. would have been averted. different from what hap- table disaster, the worst the country has Harrison county, in Mississippi, is count- The residents of the hard- pened in Haiti, where scores seen yet. ing at least 100 dead and expects the num- hit areas were told to evacuate, died from Hurricane Dennis, On Aug. 28, 2005, New Orleans braced ber to continue climbing. but the city was not mobilized to and from the United States, where for Hurricane Katrina, a category 5 hurri- Eighty percent of New Orleans is sub- evacuate. What's more, part of the number of dead from cane, but the kind of preparations neces- merged, with some areas being covered by the reason for the doomsday Hurricane Katrina is already at sary for such a hurricane had not been over 20 feet of water. Many people are scenario is because of the least 100. made. stranded on their rooftops and in trees, receding coastal marsh and While this hurricane rav- Fears of the damage and death were and rescuers are said to have to push aside barrier islands. The south of Louisiana aged, President Bush was on vacation on evoked. Residents of New Orleans, other the dead to get to the still living. loses about 24 miles of coastal marsh a his ranch in Crawford, Texas, itself del- southern Louisiana counties and cities, A day after the hurricane, there were year. The loss of the marsh and barrier uged—but by activists galvanized by the and counties and cities along the Gulf reports that at least 100,000 are stranded islands, which slows down storms, means courage of Cindy Sheehan, and in opposi- Coast were told to evacuate. The highways in New Orleans. People, desperate for that every hurricane that hits southern tion to the brutal war in Iraq. out of the populated areas were clogged, food, without electricity and other means, Louisiana could cause massive damage Nature cannot be stopped, but it does- but many—over 100,000 residents in New after having lost everything, are relieving and loss of life. n't have to spell wholesale death. Hun- Orleans alone—have no means of escap- store shelves, as there is only scant emer- A coastal restoration project was ear- dreds of billions of dollars a year are ing. Thousands more along the coast are gency relief. Thousands are huddled in the marked at $14 billion dollars, but the Bush authorized for the Pentagon, and hun- in the same predicament; many of these Super Dome, with nowhere to go. By administration put pressure on the state to dreds of billions more have been spent in poor are people of color. Tuesday, Aug. 30, food supplies had run lower the cost to $1.2 billion dollars; as of Iraq and Afghanistan. A fraction of this The major news stations, in covering out in the Dome. yet, only $375 million has been allocated. money could have saved the lives of the and tracking the storm, of course men- The situation in New Orleans is espe- In addition, the National Guard, which people that live on and near the Gulf tioned the people that would be stranded, cially tenuous. The levees have broken in is usually mobilized for natural occurren- Coast. In the richest, most technologi- but rarely the reasons. areas and flood waters continue to rise. ces, has been depleted and demoralized by cally advanced country in the world, Lines at the rescue stations, especially Hospitals are having to evacuate very ill the Bush administration's growing impe- there is no reason that every person at the Super Dome—the stadium where patients, because as the waters rise, the rialist disasters in Iraq and Afghanistan. could not have been evacuated and the New Orleans Saints team plays—were generators have malfunctioned and valu- One could contrast the preparedness of placed in shelters. blocks long. The Super Dome became the able life support has been cut off. Also, the socialist Cuba with that of the United That storms do come is no mystery. largest structure to house people that city's water supply is contaminated and States. Cuba—a resource poor country— They come every year around this time. could not leave the city. At one point, an much of the food in the city is unfit for con- spares nothing when it comes to moving And, it is no mystery what has to be done estimated 35,000 people waited to gain sumption. Many more could become ill people from the path of tropical storms, to spare those in the path of hurricanes. entrance to the stadium, but only around from the stagnant water, from the mosqui- hurricanes and other natural occurrences. Society has to be organized around the 9,000 were allowed to enter and others toes that carry the West Nile virus and This year, Cuba was hit by Hurricane needs of the many, and that will never were turned away. Many were relegated to from other diseases resulting from the Dennis, a category 4 hurricane. Cuba, happen under capitalism, but only by the riding the storm out in their homes contaminated water supply. through mobilizing the Committees for overthrow of the capitalists and through because they had no way out of the city. the Defense of the Revolution and the pop- building socialism. Under socialism the When Katrina hit, the center of this Loss of life could be averted ular army, and by being prepared to meet masses can be organized and a socialist storm also veered to the east of New The doomsday scenario given by the needs of the Cuban people, was able to state apparatus set up to plan the econ- Orleans, but New Orleans was hit by the forecasters did not have to be as deadly evacuate 1.5 million people. omy and use valuable resources to pro- storm, which had been downgraded as predicted. Hurricane Dennis hit the island, sweep- vide for countries' needs, and to oversee slightly as it came ashore. Many in the big business-controlled ing through Havana, and though 16 peo- massive efforts like evacuations. ¡Proletarios y oprimidos de todos los países, uníos! Cartas de solidaridad no solucionan nada Ruptura en la organización laboral favorece los ataques anti-sindicales Por Milt Neidenberg madamente $120 millones—y más de 4 L@s miembr@s de un sindicato con La alegría del gobierno puede ser de millones de sus 13 millones de miembr@s. Carta de Solidaridad no pueden tener breve duración. Este portavoz de la clase Después de la ruptura en la AFL-CIO, el El Sindicato de Empleados de la puestos en el concilio laboral ni en la fed- gobernante no tiene ni idea de lo que están liderazgo de los dos sectores sindicales Costura, Industriales y Textiles/ Emplea- eración estatal. L@s individuos que ya pensando las bases de los sindicatos— rivales ha estado trabajando extra para dos de Hoteles y Restaurantes—UNITE estén ocupando puestos solamente aquell@s que trabajan junt@s para prov- consolidar sus bases. Ambas agrupa- HERE—y la Internacional de Obreros podrán terminar sus plazos. eer los servicios públicos para millones de ciones, la AFL-CIO y la Coalición Cambiar también boicotearon la convención de la Inmediatamente, Anna Burger, presi- trabajador@s y pobres y que mantienen la para Ganar (Change to Win Coalition), AFL-CIO. Los dos sindicatos amenazaron denta de la Coalición Cambiar para Ganar, infraestructura que está en estado de han estado diciendo a su respectiva mem- irse de la AFL-CIO. denunció todo el plan para crear Cartas de deterioro. El trabajo l@ ha unido—afro- bresía que quieren la unidad. Pero están El sindicato de Trabajadores Agrícolas Solidaridad. Ella las llamó divisivas, american@s, blanc@s, latin@s, asiátic@s operando de una manera divisiva y hostil, Unidos (United Farm Workers) decidió diciendo "La AFL-CIO ha tomado una Pero, está dolorosamente claro que ignorando la necesidad de l@s traba- quedarse en la AFL-CIO. El sindicato de posición que usa retórica de unidad pero mientras la AFL-CIO y la Coalición Cam- jador@s y las nacionalidades oprimidas Carpinteros no está afiliado a la AFL-CIO. está diseñada para proveer divisiones biar para Ganar peleen, el potencial para de una lucha independiente y de la unidad Sería un desastre a echar a los sindi- innecesarias." la unidad estará sumergido. de clase. catos de Cambiar para Ganar fuera de los Ella acusó a la AFL-CIO de usar un Los líderes de las dos facciones están en Después de la defección de la Unión concilios locales y las federaciones lenguaje que contiene "provisiones de un curso destructivo y divisivo. Internacional de Empleados de Servicio estatales. letra diminuta que son píldoras vene- Ellos no muestran una visión en cuanto (SEIU) y los otros sindicatos, el Concilio Antes de que se terminara la conven- nosas," incluyendo "pagos discriminato- a lo que se requiere para reavivar el Ejecutivo decidió en su convención que los ción de la AFL-CIO, el Consejo Ejecutivo rios" [y] "una prohibición de participar movimiento laboral y fomentar la unidad sindicatos desasociados no podían que- designó a unos cuantos líderes para tratar en el liderazgo local y estatal a los sindi- en los concilios centrales laborales y las darse en los concilios locales laborales ni de mitigar este posible desastre. catos desasociados." federaciones estatales. en las federaciones estatales. Ellos establecieron un comité para El comportamiento burocrático de El presidente de la AFL-CIO John revisar la constitución. La ruptura estimula el apetito detenerse en pequeñeces sobre estructura Sweeney, dijo que la constitución de la Con la aprobación de la junta, Sweeney del gobierno y dinero, que terminó en la ruptura en la AFL-CIO requería esta decisión. Él les dijo ahora ha establecido "Cartas de Solidari- Desgraciadamente, mientras que la AFL-CIO, no sirve para responder a los a l@s delegad@s a la convención que los dad". Ellas están encargadas de revisar la retórica fraccional se calienta, los líderes ataques continuos contra los sindicatos concilios centrales laborales y las federa- constitución nacional, permitiendo a los de las juntas locales y estatales se quedan laborales. ciones estatales ya no podrían aceptar las sindicatos locales desasociados a quedarse esperando hasta tanto las jerarquías de las Entre la membresía de base plurina- cuotas—pagos por miembr@s—de los en los concilios centrales laborales y en las dos facciones sindicales planeen su próx- cional de las dos facciones hay un residuo sindicatos desasociados. Y decidió que los federaciones estatales de la AFL-CIO. imo paso. de buena voluntad. Ha trabajado junta por sindicatos desasociados no pudrían estar Pero las Cartas de Solidaridad crean La Coalición Cambiar para Ganar tendrá décadas en tiempos buenos y malos. Es en representados por delegad@s u oficiales una calidad de miembr@s de segunda su convención de fundación en Cincinnati los concilios locales y en las federaciones en las organizaciones locales o estatales. clase, y están llenas de líos burocráticos. a fines de septiembre. Al tiempo en que estatales que la mayor parte del apoyo La burocracia de la AFL-CIO ya se ha Wall Street, la "América" corporativa y el para huelgas y otras formas de lucha se retirado de esa posición. Ellos ahora han El primer lío gobierno están descargando su crisis organiza. Estos cuerpos podrían ser la propuesto "Cartas de Solidaridad" para Según la AFL-CIO: "Si un sindicato global y nacional en las espaldas de l@s tra- base estructural de una lucha de la mem- persuadir a los sindicatos locales de local de un sindicato desasociado quiere bajador@s y oprimid@s, el fraccionalismo bresía multinacional para responder a la Cambiar para Ganar en los concilios cen- ser parte de un movimiento local unido en promulgado por los líderes de los sindi- ruptura y los ataques anti-sindicales. trales laborales y en las federaciones su ciudad y estado, puede solicitar ser catos no podría haber surgido en peor L@s trabajador@s públic@s son una estatales a que vuelvan a la AFL-CIO. parte del concilio central laboral o de la tiempo. fuente de fuerza y recursos para luchar Después de las defecciones del SEIU y federación estatal. La ruptura de la Coalición Cambiar para contra el golpe contra sus sindicatos. los Tronquistas, los Trabajadores Unidos "El sindicato local pagaría una remu- Ganar con la AFL-CIO y el plan burocrá- Aproximadamente un@ de cada tres de del Alimento y el Comercio (United Food neración de solidaridad del 10 por ciento tico de Sweeney para formar Cartas de l@s 5 millones de trabajador@s del gob- and Commercial Workers) también se han al concilio laboral o a la federación estatal Solidaridad solo va a estimular los apeti- ierno estatal en este país está represen- desasociado de la AFL-CIO. La AFL-CIO para ayudar en la compensación del costo tos de la clase gobernante y del gobierno. tad@ por un sindicato. calcula que la pérdida de estos tres de servicios y sistemas de movilización Como subrayó un titular en el periódico AFSCME tiene más miembr@s que grandes sindicatos le costará cerca de $28 suministrado por la AFL-CIO nacional y Wall Street Journal del 11 de agosto, justo cualquier otro sindicato en la AFL-CIO, millones—de un presupuesto de aproxi- apoyado por sus sindicatos afiliados." dos semanas después de la ruptura en la aún antes de la ruptura. Unido a la fuerza El pago del 10 por ciento sería AFL-CIO, tres gobernadores Republi- numérica del SEIU que también ha orga- además de las cuotas que cada canos— en Missouri, Indiana y Mary- nizado a trabajador@s del sector público, miembr@ del sindicato pagó al land—fomentaron ataques contra los esta fuerza poderosa podría enfrentarse a concilio central laboral y a la fed- sindicatos del sector público. los ataques contra los trabajadores públi- eración estatal antes de la ruptura. El Journal reportó: "El gobernador de cos. Missouri, Matt Blunt, que sirve en esa fun- Esta unidad reforzaría al nivel estruc- El segundo lío ción por primera vez, rescindió los dere- tural de apoyo establecido en los concilios L@s miembr@s que se asocien chos de negociación colectiva de los traba- laborales y en las federaciones estatales. a las Cartas de Solidaridad tendrán jadores estatales. ... El gobernador de Vendría desde abajo hacia arriba, incluiría que quedarse en los concilios cen- Indiana, Mitch Daniels, que era director a los dos sectores de trabajador@s, el trales laborales y en las federa- de presupuesto de la Casa Blanca de Bush, público y el privado, y sería nacional en su ciones estatales hasta el fin del año derogó una orden ejecutiva que por 15 visión y enmarcada en la lucha. 2006. Y tendrán que participar años dio derechos de negociación colec- Va a requerir reagruparse, un concilio plenamente en la política local. tiva a los trabajadores públicos del estado. de líderes que vienen de la base, para Esto es una referencia obvia a las Y el gobernador de Maryland, respaldado implementar esta visión de lucha en elecciones congresionales de por la Corte Suprema del estado, sus- medio de la guerra de clase. 2006. pendió un aumento de salario del 2 por El sistema capitalista de explotación, Esta es una maniobra arrogante ciento que fue negociado por los sindicatos opresión nacional, y guerra imperialista para conseguir la ayuda de los para los trabajadores estatales con su pre- estimulará la necesidad de resistir. sindicatos locales de la Coalición decesor." Emergiendo desde abajo—de la fuerza lab- Cambiar para Ganar—SEIU, El Journal se deleitó en "el resenti- oral multinacional, de mujeres y nacional- UFCW, los Tronquistas, y los miento entre AFSCME y los sindicatos que idades oprimidas y unida al movimiento Carpinteros—para financiar a los recientemente se desafiliaron de la AFL- contra la guerra y otros—ahí está la políticos capitalistas respaldados CIO—incluyendo la Unión Internacional energía y la voluntad para construir este por la AFL-CIO. de Empleados de Servicio (SEIU) que frente unido. Debe ir adelante. tiene una cantidad significativa de traba- El tercer lío jadores públicos."