By Gaetana Caldwell-Smith In 2004, two African American women writers, Sonia Sanchez and Sarah Jones, came into prominence, appearing at separate venues in New York, reading and performing their works. In late December, Sonia Sanchez, known primarily for her poetry, took the stage at the Tribeca Performing Arts Center. The evening celebrated the … Continue reading Two women speak for many (Sonia Sanchez and Sarah Jones)
Month: January 2005
Tsunami disaster magnified by poverty, imperialism
by Gerry Foley Natural disasters like the Southeast Asian tidal wave do serve to highlight the interdependence of the entire human community. The world today cannot remain indifferent to the tragedy of the people living along the coasts of this region. Despite the capitalist offensive under the flag of “neoliberalism” and its extreme … Continue reading Tsunami disaster magnified by poverty, imperialism
Iraq elections offer no road out of quagmire for U.S. Rulers
by Gerry Foley Although the White House proclaims its determination to go through with the Iraqi elections scheduled for the end of January at any cost, it seems clear already that these elections will not achieve the objective for which they were designed. They will not produce a stable neocolonial government in Iraq able … Continue reading Iraq elections offer no road out of quagmire for U.S. Rulers
Hot enough for you?
by Michael G. Livingston Forget about the TV images of snowstorms in Indiana! Forget about how cold you may (or may not be) at this moment! What matters is global mean temperature. And the data for 2004 are downright scary; 2004 had the fourth highest global mean temperature since data were first collected on … Continue reading Hot enough for you?
Elections reveal polarization among Palestinians
by Gerry Foley Political polarization among the Palestinian forces is being accelerated by the pressures of the local government elections that started on Dec. 23 and the elections for the president of the Palestinian Authority (PA) scheduled for Jan. 9. The basic issue is hardly the ordinary rivalry among politicians. It is the Intifada … Continue reading Elections reveal polarization among Palestinians
Results of Ukrainian election rerun – Some things won’t change
by Gerry Foley The outcome of the rerun Ukrainian presidential election held on Dec. 26 was never in doubt. The mass mobilizations in support of Victor Yushchenko and in protest against the large-scale electoral fraud perpetrated by the campaign of his rival, Victor Yanukovich, in what was supposed to be the final round of … Continue reading Results of Ukrainian election rerun – Some things won’t change
What next for the Democrats?
by Joe Auciello In the coming months the Democrats will battle fiercely over policy, perspectives, and personalities as they try to understand and place blame for their debacle in the 2004 presidential and congressional elections. Any organization that suffers a setback or loss tends to turn in on itself to find someone or … Continue reading What next for the Democrats?
Black poet harassed for travel to Cuba
Brock Satter, an African American poet and bandleader of a “spoken-soul-hop fusion” group, was a featured artist at the Ninth Annual Hip-Hop Festival in Havana in 2003. Satter traveled legally to Cuba under the U.S. regulations in force at the time. But subsequently, he received a letter from the U.S. Treasury Department requesting information on … Continue reading Black poet harassed for travel to Cuba
The decline of the dollar
by Jeff Mackler The dollar has continued to decline against the euro and most other major world currencies. On Dec. 23, one euro sold for US$1.35, a drop of 7 percent since the Nov. 2 election and a drop of almost 35 percent over the past two years. A few years ago, by … Continue reading The decline of the dollar
Science vs. Creationism
by Mark Ostapiak The latest episode in the long struggle between the ideas of evolution and creationism was marked by a Dec. 14 federal lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union and Americans United for Separation of Church and State on behalf of 11 parents in Dover, PA. They insist that the … Continue reading Science vs. Creationism
Split in the AFL-CIO?
by Jeff Mackler When one of the AFL-CIO's largest and fastest growing affiliates, the 1.7-million-member Service Employees International Union (SEIU), threatens to leave the crumbling "house of labor," one would think that the issues in dispute and the measures proposed to heal the breach were substantial. Sadly, as we will demonstrate, nothing could be … Continue reading Split in the AFL-CIO?
Supremes bless same-sex marriage
by Barry Weisleder After decades of street marches, bitter protests, and expensive legal battles, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled on Dec. 9 that a same-sex marriage law would be constitutional. The High Court Justices said that Parliament has the authority to redefine marriage to include gay or lesbian couples, but religious officials cannot … Continue reading Supremes bless same-sex marriage
PSAC officials abandon strike
by Barry Weisleder “While the details of how the union leadership killed a three-day national strike are still emerging, this much is clear: The decision to put the employer's final offer to a membership vote and end job action is being widely seen as a sell out by members”, writes Ian Shaw, president of … Continue reading PSAC officials abandon strike
U.S. socialist reports on Venezuela conference
by Mark Ostapiak Eli Smith, a young socialist and an accomplished musician, recently journeyed from his home in Berkeley, Calif., to Venezuela. There he joined over 300 representatives from every continent for the World Forum of Intellectuals and Artists in Defense of Humanity, hosted and funded by the government of President Hugo Chavez. … Continue reading U.S. socialist reports on Venezuela conference
Democrats, Republicans attack women’s rights
by Rebecca Doran A common goal of the feminist movement has always been for the end of sex discrimination and abolishment of the second-class status of women. One of the most vital issues pertaining to this goal is the right to reproductive freedom and accessible health care, without which, women are constrained to the shackles … Continue reading Democrats, Republicans attack women’s rights