Statement by Socialist Action (U.S.) Political CommitteeFor revolutionaries in the United States, there is no question that our primary responsibility in regard to solidarity with the workers and peasants of Syria is the need to organize against U.S. intervention. No other task is so crucial to ensure self-determination so that Syrians can win their battle … Continue reading U.S. Hands Off Syria! Victory to the Uprising!
Month: February 2012
Activists denounce restrictions on Chicago G8/NATO protests
On Jan. 25, the Vancouver culture jammers known as Adbusters brought new attention to the need to protest the NATO/G8 summit occurring in Chicago from May 19-21. Adbusters played a large role in building the Occupy Wall Street protests in New York last fall and their call is expected to put the NATO/G8 summit meetings … Continue reading Activists denounce restrictions on Chicago G8/NATO protests
ILWU Local 21 Victory!
Special Note: As we go to press, the EGT conglomerate has formally recognized ILWU Local 21 as the bargaining representative for all workers at its Longview, Wash., terminal and on all vessels that load grain from that facility. Contract negotiations are underway and expected to be concluded on union-favorable terms in the next few days. Until … Continue reading ILWU Local 21 Victory!
Egyptians mark anniversary of uprising with new protests
In early February, a number of protesters were killed and over 1500 injured, as Egyptian police attacked demonstrations that had been called to express the mounting public anger over the deaths of at least 74 people at a soccer match in Port Said.The mainstream media at first blamed the Feb. 1 soccer stadium fight on … Continue reading Egyptians mark anniversary of uprising with new protests
UNAC conference, March 23-25: ‘Challenge the wars of the 1%’
A Conference to Challenge the Wars of the 1% Against the 99% at Home and Abroad—this banner heads the call for the United National Antiwar Coalition Conference, which will be held in Stamford, CT, on March 23-25. Addressing this theme will be international guest speakers that include Xiomara Castro de Zelaya, the wife of the former … Continue reading UNAC conference, March 23-25: ‘Challenge the wars of the 1%’
What sort of third party do we need?
The past year or so has seen a dramatic shift in the U.S. class struggle. The mass movement in Wisconsin against the union busting agenda of tea-party Republican Scott Walker, the Occupy Wall Street (OWS) movement that spread across the U.S., and the ILWU fight to protect their union rights at Longview, WA, and elsewhere … Continue reading What sort of third party do we need?
For a Revolutionary Black History Month
As we once again approach February, the papers and TV stations will feature programming that shows more Black faces than usual. Some will show movies, some documentaries and some will feature history in celebration of Black History Month.Undoubtedly, Martin Luther King Jr.’s epic “March on Washington” speech will be samples, its grainy, black and white … Continue reading For a Revolutionary Black History Month
Mumia freed from solitary
It took a petition with 5000 signatures, gathered in a few days, to the Philadelphia District Attorney and prison officials to compel the warden at SCI Mahanoy to release Mumia Abu-Jamal from his “worse than death row” solidarity-confinement “hole.” The excuse? Mumia refused to cut off his dreadlocks! While on death row at SCI Greene, … Continue reading Mumia freed from solitary
A Visit with Mumia Abu-Jamal
Comrades, Brothers and Sisters: Heidi Boghosian [executive director, National Lawyers Guild] and I [Johanna Fernandez, Educators for Mumia] just returned from a very moving visit with Mumia. We visited yesterday, Thursday, Feb. 2. This was Mumia’s second contact visit in over 30 years, since his transfer to General Population last Friday, Jan. 27. His first contact visit was … Continue reading A Visit with Mumia Abu-Jamal
Occupy debates the call for a May 1 general strike
At least 15 sites of the Occupy Movement have endorsed a call for actions on May Day 2012, including a general strike, initiated by Occupy LA (OLA). The debate within New York’s Occupy Wall Street (OWS) over whether to endorse the call is illustrative of the ideological differences within the movement, as well as the … Continue reading Occupy debates the call for a May 1 general strike
Austerity tightens in Greece
Parallels between ancient Greece and current Greece are not lacking in recent times, and the “Greek tragedy” has been served up in all journalistic sauces. In the country that invented democracy to put an end to debt slavery, the European bourgeoisie imposes its reactionary approach: even if the institution of slavery is not (yet) re-established, … Continue reading Austerity tightens in Greece
Protests demand: No war and no sanctions against Iran!
On Feb. 4, activists demanding “No Sanctions, Assassinations, Interventions! No War Against Iran!” held emergency demonstrations in at least 70 U.S. cities and towns. There were actions from Huntsville, Ala., to Amarillo, Texas, and from Buffalo, NY to Racine, WI. Other cities held demonstrations in the days immediately preceding or following the national day of … Continue reading Protests demand: No war and no sanctions against Iran!
NY Transit Workers Under Attack
NEW YORK—The contract between Transport Workers Union Local 100, representing 34,000 subway and bus workers, and the state-run Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), expired at midnight Jan. 15. The MTA is demanding a contract with three years of no raises, increased healthcare costs and other big concessions.The MTA’s demands are an attempt to make working people … Continue reading NY Transit Workers Under Attack
Indiana passes anti-union ‘right to work’ law
In the latest attack on workers’ rights by state government, Indiana became the 23rd “right to work” state when Gov. Mitch Daniels signed the anti-union law on Feb. 1.Thousands of trade unionists and Occupy activists marched outside of the state capitol to denounce the reactionary bill. For weeks the same forces have been rallying in even … Continue reading Indiana passes anti-union ‘right to work’ law
‘People’s State of the State’ protests Wisconsin mining bill
MADISON—On Jan. 25, Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker gave his State of the State address, in which he touted fake “job creation” and balancing the budget on the backs of state workers, who took a more than 8% pay and benefit cut and lost their collective bargaining rights.Earlier in the day, an independent “People’s State of … Continue reading ‘People’s State of the State’ protests Wisconsin mining bill
Bay Area forums to hear author of book on Kevin Cooper
A coalition of social justice activists in the San Francisco Bay Area has organized a Feb. 5-12 book tour for J. Patrick O’Connor, the author of “Scapegoat: The Chino Hills Murders and the framing of Kevin Cooper.” O’Connor’s new book provides a detailed analysis of Cooper’s case and exposes the broken criminal “justice” system in … Continue reading Bay Area forums to hear author of book on Kevin Cooper
Letter from Lynne Stewart
An appeal of Lynne Stewart’s lengthened sentence is set for 8 a.m., Feb. 29, at the federal courthouse at New York’s Foley Square. There will be an all-night rally for Lynne in the square, starting at 7 p.m. Information: (917) 853-9759. After the disaster in July 2010, when Judge Koeltl, following the directives of the … Continue reading Letter from Lynne Stewart
Review of “Le Havre”
“Le Havre,” written and directed by Aki Kaurasmaki, in French with English subtitles. An older man, Marcel, with the telling last name of Marx (Andre Wilms), shines shoes outside the bus terminal in the port town of Le Havre. He gets few takers and goes home to his dog, Laika, and much younger, but plain, … Continue reading Review of “Le Havre”
Northern Lights (news & views from Canada)
Ontario workers rally against concessions and lock-outSome 10,000 people, according to the Toronto Star, converged at London’s Victoria Park, two hours west of Toronto, on Jan. 21 to participate in the rally sponsored by the Ontario Federation of Labour (OFL) against the lockout of 500 workers.The London workers are members of the Canadian Auto Workers … Continue reading Northern Lights (news & views from Canada)