Professional Documents
Culture Documents
fund education,
jobs for youth
By monica moorehead to a truly grassroots convergence of pro-
All out!
testers, from kindergarten students to the
On March 4 more than 100 demonstra Gray Panthers.
tions were organized in 33 states against The events began with major class-
MArch 20
the devastating cuts, layoffs and tuition room walk-outs. At the University of
hikes as part of the National Day of California, Berkeley, students disrupted
Action to Defend Education, including classes and led a massive walk-out. Stu-
dents then marched to Oakland, where
anti-war actions
campuses such as the University of
Maryland and University of Illinois Bay Area students gathered for a rally of
at UrbanaChampaign. The following several thousand people.
reports are examples of some of these In Oakland and Davis, Calif., students
significant protests, which are signs marched across the freeway ramps and
u.s. imperialism’s crimes troops in Iraq seven years after the ille-
pointing to the potential of a revitalized blocked traffic on two interstate highways.
against the Iraqi people are so great gal aggression, plus an equal number of
national youth and student fightback More than 150 young people were arrested
that no amount of lying in the corporate “contractors” — mercenaries. The U.S.
movement reminiscent of the 1960s. in Oakland after occupying Interstate 880
media can wipe them out. That doesn’t occupation has left more than 1 million
during rush hour. One young man suffered
Bay arEa, calIf. stop these manufacturers of instant dead and created 5 million refugees. It
a head injury from falling from a freeway
misinformation from trying. They have has exacerbated ethnic and religious
Tens of thousands of youth, students, ramp after being chased by the police.
hypocritically presented a patently differences leading to the brink of a
parents, teachers, school workers and Leafleting, rallies and teach-ins were
fraudulent election, held under an oc- partition of the country. Its puppet
progressive allies took to the streets all held throughout the Bay Area. Many
cupying power and administered by a regime has been pressured to pass laws
over the Bay Area to “take a stand for pub- teachers brought the protest into their
puppet regime, as a sterling example of turning over Iraqi natural wealth to
lic education.” This protest was the united classrooms. In West Contra Costa and
democracy and courage. imperialist concerns, thus sowing the
response to more than $20 billion in state, Berkeley, teachers rallied and leafleted on
federal and local cuts to public schools. There are still nearly 100,000 U.S. Continued on page 10
busy street corners throughout the day.
The success of the protest was largely due Continued on page 6
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Double stAnDArDs in black and white Editorial 10
Workers World Weekly Newspaper
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AfricA U.S. threatens Somalia Zimbabwe: 30 years 9
Page_2_ March_18,_2010_ workers.org
WORKERS WORLD
Claudia Jones – this week ...
a legacy deferred Andrea In the U.S.
Excerpts from a speech by Andrea Egypt at a Work Egypt
ers World Party Black History Month forum in Detroit. Fund education, jobs for youth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
speaking
at Int’l Claudia Jones — A legacy deferred . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
joi n us
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workers.org March 18, 2010 Page 3
DETrOiT.
ebrated at a Workers World Party forum and the editor of Workers World newspaper,
in Detroit on March 6. A multinational was presented with the Warrior Woman award
and multigenerational panel of women for her many decades of exemplary leadership
speakers paid tribute to “sister soldiers” in in the struggle. Griswold gave insights into the
the struggle and discussed how women’s early struggles of women in the Party by focus-
oppression can be overturned. ing on the lives and work of WWP founding
Comrades Debbie Johnson and Lee members Dorothy Ballan and Elizabeth Cope-
Booth paid homage to WWP members land. Ballan and Copeland were theoreticians
and friends in Michigan who have made as well as activists and extraordinary leaders in
important contributions to the struggles their unions, communities and the Party. The
against imperialism and for social and meeting was chaired by Andrea Egypt.
economic justice and socialism. Megan — report and photos by Kris hamel
Spencer, a feminist activist, artist and
Michigan State University student, spoke
about the links between women’s oppres-
sion and environmental degradation and
how the struggle against both must be
anti-capitalist in order to succeed.
Sandra Hines, a leader in the Mora-
torium NOW! Coalition to Stop Fore-
closures, Evictions and Utility Shutoffs,
talked about African-American women in
Detroit who have furthered the struggle
for self-determination. Lauren Spencer, an ww_Photo:_ChEryl_lABASh
intern at MSU’s LGBT Resource Center,
Lauren Spencer, far left; Megan
discussed how the struggle for lesbian/ Spencer, left, speaking at Inter-
gay/bi/trans and queer liberation is inter- national Working Women’s Day
twined with the struggle against racism event. Deirdre Griswold, above,
and for women’s rights. recieves “Warrior Woman Award”
from Kris Hamel.
‘Stolen lives’:
Protests denounce
Never forget Malcolm
ferguson! utility shutoff deaths
By Stephen millies
New york
Address__ _________________________________________________________________________
City/State/Zip__ ____________________________________________________________________ _
Phone/Email__ _____________________________________________________________________ _
Return to: World view forum, 55 W. 17th St., Fifth floor, New York, NY 10011 chapel hill, N.c., march 4. .
Page_6_ March_18,_2010_ workers.org
San francisco .
BoStoN_ww._Photo:_liZ_GrEEN
WORKERS WORLD
anti-War Protest
Education,
strong and dramatic as they can. To purchase a bus ticket ($40 or $25 students/fixed income) from NYC to D.C.,
Washington, Los Angeles and San
Just as in the days of war criminal
contact the Int’l Action Center at 212-633-6646 (2:00-9:00 p.m., M-F; 12:00-6:00 p.m. Sat.)
Francisco, called by the Answer Coali-
George W. Bush, a Republican, U.S.
Buses leave 6:30 a.m. from IAC office, 55 W. 17th St., NYC, return at 11:00 p.m.
tion to mark the seventh anniversary
wars and occupations continue in Iraq of the criminal U.S. invasion of Iraq, Stay overnight for the March 21 Mass Rally for Immigrant Rights in D.C.
under the Democratic Party admin- raise the slogans: U.S. Out of Afghani- For information, email the May 1st Coalition at mayday2010@peoplesmail.net
istration, even expanding in Afghani- stan and Iraq; Free Palestine; Repara- or call 212-633-6646.
stan and stretching into Pakistan. The tions for Haiti; and Money for Health
Pentagon is also intervening in Somalia Care, Jobs and Education. Many other
March 4:
and Yemen and continually threatening anti-imperialist, anti-war, community
Iran, with or without a first strike by the and progressive organizations have
Israeli military. Not to speak of other endorsed these actions, including the
interventions threatened in the Carib-
hope awakens
International Action Center and the
bean, South America and the Pacific. Bail Out the People Movement.
In this period, the workers in the Workers World has endorsed them,
United States have been hit with the too, and calls again upon the working-
T
worst capitalist recession since the class and progressive people to mobilize he March 4 national action for The March 4 actions provided, in
1930s — one in which a short-lived participation in them throughout the education rights was a massive embryonic form, a unity and solidarity of
recovery for the stock market has country. student and youth outpouring that youth, community and workers of all na-
brought hope to many. But it was not tionalities, including immigrant workers.
only an upsurge of university students, as A look at the photos of the protests shows
C
rookedness in U.S. ruling-class troops to kill and be killed around the ties and public K-12 schools joined the is possible to help this solidarity and
politics is the rule, not the excep- world, or ensuring poverty and starva- struggle with enthusiasm. Outside the militancy continue to develop into a
tion. To win the game, politicians tion by denying the right to food, educa- schools themselves, unions like the powerful struggle in defense of education
often have to play by the same rule book tion, housing and/or health care. Transport Workers in New York and the rights. But one can also dream that it will
as their peers — a book that’s filled with But when things get tense — say, dur- Boston school bus drivers endorsed ac- become more than that. That the spirit
corrupt tricks. So why is it that some ing the height of a devastating econom- tions. These workers’ interests are closely of struggle and unity will spread to other
politicians get singled out for exposure, ic crisis — and the powers-that-be need connected with funding for transport of sectors of the working class. That these
if they’re all playing the game? a fall guy or become concerned about students, who may be their own children. workers will compel their unions, which
In the past couple of weeks, two a politician’s allegiances, they’ll dig up In working-class communities, parents have been passive in the face of ruthless
Black New York politicians, Gov. David as much dirt as possible and put it on of school-age youth identify completely ruling-class assault, to fight back with the
Paterson and Rep. Charles Rangel, display for the public to condemn. with the struggle for a good education — same level of determination.
have been the target of highly pub- Both Paterson and Rangel have tying this to future jobs for their chil- In the past weeks union workers in
licized ethics investigations. Rangel contradictory records when it comes to dren. Public high school and university Greece have taken to the streets, refusing
has been forced to step down from his support for working people. They may students are themselves mostly from to submit to the dictates of the European
position as chairperson of the powerful or may not have committed the ethics working-class families. They identify with capitalists and Wall Street financiers.
Ways and Means Committee, which is violations. their teachers. They may be working their Why not here? The March 4 struggle has
charged with writing tax legislation and The double standard is especially way through school. Or they may have opened the door to this dream.
bills affecting Social Security, Medi- used when it comes to Black politicians. returned to studies after losing their jobs.
care and other social service programs. The racist U.S. ruling class through the
Paterson has said he will not seek re-
election, while many are clamoring for
years has attacked Black politicians,
from Harlem Congressperson Adam
Zimbabwe after 30 years of independence
indigenization & gender
his resignation. Clayton Powell Jr. to Massachusetts
There’s another rule in the U.S. Sen. Dianne Wilkerson, former Milwau-
politics rule book: the double standard. kee Alderman Michael McGee Jr. and
It’s pretty safe to say that most ruling-
class politicians accept bribes, cheat on
their spouses and commit all sorts of
Boston City Councilor Chuck Turner.
The goal is to remind those Black politi-
cians still in office that they’d better not
equality on agenda
crimes that they’re never charged for get out of line, either. A more insidious Continued from page 9 make great progress in all human indi-
and never see the light of day. And that goal is to socially disenfranchise the She pointed out that “David Miliband, ces of progress as we filled our granaries.
doesn’t even mention the open crimes communities of color that these politi- the British Foreign Secretary, has finally Alas our respite from pain and suffering
that aren’t labeled as such, like sending cians represent. owned up to the imposition of illegal was short-lived. Soon after we embarked
sanctions on Zimbabwe.” on the land reform program the West im-
Mutsvangwa emphasized that “The posed sanctions.”
You can subscribe at workers.orgd ZANU-PF Women’s League appeals to
Britain, the European Union and the
Dr. Olivia Muchena, the Zimbabwe
Minister of Women’s Affairs, Gender and
Follow Workers World on Twitter United States to remove the sanctions.
We call for a new chapter in Africa-Europe
Community Development, stated in a
recent lecture inside the country, “With
http://twitter.com/workersworldd relations.”
She added, “For the first 15 years of in-
adequate support, women could con-
tribute significantly to the turnaround of
GrEEcE:
short-term delegations and the work of ac-
tivists based in Honduras give space to the
FNRP and ensure that the Honduran peo-
Unionists resist police attacks, fight austerity ple are not isolated and that the actions of
the oligarchy and the Honduran military
are documented for future consideration
By G. Dunkel Square in Athens’ center that morning, On March 5 in the afternoon there was in international courts of justice.
with other demonstrations and rallies in a police attack on the rally called by the North American solidarity with the
The Greek Parliament passed a very more than 62 cities throughout Greece. GSEE and ADEDY. The cops were shown Honduran people has its own heroic his-
stringent set of austerity measures March Earlier, they had held a massive sit- on television using batons and tear gas, tory. James Carney, a Jesuit priest from
5 that will cut public-sector salaries and in at the Ministry of Finance building in as well as kicking protesters, who fought Missouri known as Padre Guadalupe, was
freeze pensions for both public- and pri- Athens and at a number of other govern- back energetically, throwing stones and the spiritual advisor to a Honduran guer-
vate-sector workers, cut services and raise ment buildings throughout the country. bottles at the cops. There were at least five rilla unit of the Revolutionary Party of
taxes. On March 6 PAME members began oc- arrests and seven cops injured. Central American Workers-Honduras. In
Public service workers will have their cupying government printing offices to Eighty-seven-year-old WWII resis- July 1983 Padre Guadalupe was captured
salaries cut by almost 15 percent and the keep the austerity bill from being printed. tance hero and former MP Manolis Glezos by the infamous Honduran army Battal-
retirement age for all workers will go up (Agence France Presse, March 6). was hospitalized after a cop sprayed him ion 3-16 and executed with CIA agents
by two years. Combined with the half-day strikes with tear gas. (www.ekathimerini.com) present.
The Communist-affiliated labor con- called by the biggest labor union con- The Greek unions have announced an- One of the leaders of the unit who was
federation PAME (All-Workers Militant federation, GSEE, and the civil servants’ other general strike for March 11. killed in the same action was the Nicara-
Front), to which a number of public ser- union, ADEDY, this action stopped mass “It is a tragedy for the people to lose their guan-American David Arturo Baez Cruz.
vice workers belong, called a 24-hour transit, closed schools and limited service rights, to see their wages being cut down Baez Cruz was a former member of the
strike on March 5 to protest Parliament at hospitals. French television reported despite the long lasting struggles in the U. S. Army Special Forces who was radi-
passing this attack on workers. PAME that Athens suffered from “a monster previous years, despite the sacrifices that calized while stationed in Panama. The
held a mass demonstration at Syntagma traffic jam” all day. led even to bloodshed. But above all it is a events are described in the book “In-
disgrace — and we do not believe that this side Delta Force” by Eric Haney, a U.S.
military advisor to Battalion 3-16 in July
payback for bank failure that the people consent to these measures,”
stressed Aleka Papariga, the leader of the
Communist Party of Greece, at a special
U.S. wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. It is
important that the U.S. war against the
people of Honduras also be on the agen-
press conference. (inter.kke.gr) da that day.
By G. Dunkel This wasn’t the first time British im-
perialism tried to bully Iceland. In the
Faced with a referendum to approve a
deal that would have cost every person in
Iceland a quarter of their income for the
1970s, when Iceland imposed a 200-
mile limit on its fishing waters, Britain
sent warships to ram the Icelandic Coast
Public-service workers
next eight years, 63 percent of Iceland’s
registered voters ignored the light snow
and came out to massively reject the deal.
With almost all the ballots counted, 94
Guard vessels enforcing the limit. (“Ring
of Seasons: Iceland — Its Culture and His-
tory,” p. 246).
Iceland is a small island nation of only
walk out in Portugal
By John catalinotto the Common Front, which includes other
percent were “no,” with spoiled and blank 320,000 people located just south of the trade union organizations. Even trade
votes outnumbering the 2 percent who Arctic Circle in the North Atlantic and is Four of every five public-sector work- unions linked to the governing Socialist
voted “yes.” still underdeveloped. Fishing, some alu- ers in Portugal walked off their jobs on Party joined the strike.
In January, Iceland President Olafur minum processing and tourism are its March 4 to protest government plans to Portugal’s unions said their members
R. Grimsson vetoed a bill that would have main economic activities. decrease pensions, eliminate and out- had suffered worsening conditions for
had Icelanders repay $3.5 billion to Brit- Iceland’s banks collapsed as part of the source jobs and continue a freeze on wag- years as public pensions and other ben-
ain and $1.8 billion to the Netherlands. 2008 financial crisis. Its economy man- es. Trade unions representing more than efits were cut. This year, public-sector
This veto automatically set up this refer- aged to stay afloat with a loan from the 500,000 such workers joined the strike. wages were frozen to appease interna-
endum. In 2008, a private Icelandic bank Nordic countries and the International The issues are remarkably similar to tional speculators concerned about the
named IceSave failed. People in the two Monetary Fund, but if the dispute with those raised in Greece in this period. A government’s budget deficit.
countries were holding 350,000 accounts Great Britain and the Netherlands is not government led by a nominally Socialist The walkout shut schools, hospitals
in IceSave. The two governments subsi- resolved, these loans might be frozen, Party is attempting to impose severe cut- and public offices. Court hearings and
dized the losses of British and Dutch ac- which would be a major economic blow. backs on the working class, while the im- waste collection were also affected. Ac-
count holders. Demonstrators wielding fireworks and perialist bankers of the European Union’s cording to Ana Avoila, spokesperson for
But the British government has tried whistles took to the streets of Reykjavik big powers pressure the Portuguese gov- the Common Front, 80 percent of the
to force Iceland to pay this money back. on March 6. Signs read, “Power to the ernment to impose even greater cutbacks. workers joined the strike, the same as
It even applied its anti-terrorism laws People” and “No Deal.” “We are not go- In Portugal, as in Greece, there is a when the three union federations united
against Iceland — whose governments ing to pay the debts for those bankers,” major combative trade union confedera- in 2007. The Common Front announced
have all been loyal to NATO — to freeze demonstrator Svenbjorn Arnason told tion — the CGTP — that was organized that there will be local actions in April
the assets of all Icelandic banks in the National Public Radio. “They have given by the Portuguese Communist Party. The and a great united protest at the end of
country. their debts to us, the people of Iceland.” March 4 strike was waged in the name of May.
P r o l e ta r i o s y o p r i m i d o s d e t o d o s l o s p a í s e s u n í o s !