Millions of Libyans cast their ballots on July 7 in the first “free” election Libya has seen in over four decades. Throngs of people packed into voting booths to select the country’s new 200-seat National Assembly, which will be tasked with creating a new government and writing up a draft constitution. In response to the … Continue reading What Libya’s Elections Mean for the People
Category: Uncategorized
Court Confirms Ten-Year Sentence for Lynne Stewart
<!--[if !mso]><![endif]--> The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit today confirmed the 2010 decision of Federal District Court Judge John Koeltl to change his 28-month jail sentence for radical attorney and human rights activist, Lynne Stewart, to ten years. The court’s June 28, 2012 decision was not unexpected.Following federal prosecutors’ appeal of what … Continue reading Court Confirms Ten-Year Sentence for Lynne Stewart
Gerry Foley: A life dedicated to socialist revolution
Few revolutionaries, past or present, have devoted their entire adult lives to the socialist cause as full-timers. Gerry Foley was one of them. He died unexpectedly on April 21 in San Cristóbal de las Casas, in the mountains of Chiapas, Mexico’s poorest state. Gerry spent 50 years fighting—at near poverty wages—to free humanity from every … Continue reading Gerry Foley: A life dedicated to socialist revolution
Minneapolis May Day March
On May 1, people gathered in the Latino neighborhood of Minneapolis and marched through the main immigrant business sector, to end at a local park for a rally. Police estimated 2000 participants (compared to 400 last year). The crowd was probably about one-third Latino immigrants. MIRAc (the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee) spent over three months organizing … Continue reading Minneapolis May Day March
Gerry Foley, Presente!
Dear Comrades,I just learned from Gerry Foley’s friend in Mexico that Gerry died suddenly today in Mexico. Gerry called me a few days ago to say that he was happily moving from his rented home in Mérida to a happy home in San Cristobol de Las Cases, in the mountains of Chiapas.Just a few moments ago … Continue reading Gerry Foley, Presente!
On the Upcoming Greek Elections
ANTARSYA (Front of the Greek Anti-Capitalist Left): Statement on the parliamentary elections to be held on May 6 in Greece There is another way! Without debt, euro, EU and memoranda!For the anti-capitalist overthrow of the coalition government and the Troika!Power and wealth in the hands of the workers! For a battle-front based on a break … Continue reading On the Upcoming Greek Elections
U.S., Israel hurl war threats against Iran
The drums of war in Washington are beating yet again. U.S. government officials, along with corporate media pundits, are calling for military action against Iran. Using similar logic that was used to justify the invasion of Iraq (that Saddam Hussein had “weapons of mass destruction,” which turned out to be a lie), the United States … Continue reading U.S., Israel hurl war threats against Iran
Greek workers resist economic free fall
ATHENS—The Memorandum No. 2 became reality by a vote in the Greek Parliament on Feb. 12. One hundred ninety-nine MPs, mainly of the ruling parties, PASOK and “New Democracy” (ND), decided to completely sell out the interests of the Greek population, working people and young people, and especially of future generations, to the dictatorship of … Continue reading Greek workers resist economic free fall
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)
Indiana YSA in the news
The Horizon, a student-produced newspaper at Indiana University Southeast, in New Albany, Ind., reported on a recent forum sponsored by the campus Youth for Socialist Action (YSA) chapter.The writer, Steve Nichols, noted, “For now, the YSA is a study group. However, Christian Litsey, English sophomore and one of the founding members of YSA, said their … Continue reading Indiana YSA in the news
Jamaicans seek change, elect opposition PNP
MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica—Car horns blared, orange flags waved, and campaign reggae jingles pulsated. Youthful political celebrants blew vuvuzelas from roving car caravans on the evening of Dec. 29, continuing well past sunrise across this Caribbean island nation.A snap election called by the governing Jamaica Labour Party catapulted the opposition People's National Party into government after … Continue reading Jamaicans seek change, elect opposition PNP
Supercommittee fails, cuts coming anyway
The austerity programs being forced by bankers and the IMF on European governments had their counterpart in the U.S. in the Congressional “Supercommittee,” the bipartisan effort at meeting demands by the ruling class to cut the country’s deficits by slashing the social safety net for workers. Since the Supercommittee failed to reach consensus on a … Continue reading Supercommittee fails, cuts coming anyway
Civil Wars: An inside look at the labor bureaucracy
In the early 1990s a new crop of labor leaders ascended to leadership of some of the largest unions in the United States and the AFL-CIO hierarchy. Many of these new leaders were products of the 1960s radicalization, former student radicals who moved to staff positions in trade unions. Coming off the heels of some militant … Continue reading Civil Wars: An inside look at the labor bureaucracy
The Need for a Revolutionary Youth Group
What a revolutionary socialist youth group is able to do is to centralize all of the experiences and knowledge coming out of all of the different struggles for liberation so we can have a complete outlook and understanding of the world. Let me explain what I mean. If we have women who are engaged in … Continue reading The Need for a Revolutionary Youth Group
The Greek Struggle Against Austerity
One year after the imposition of the Memorandum and the antilabor and antisocial measures it brought in its wake, the situation of the Greek economy, even under capitalist criteria, did not only not improve but instead significantly worsened. Salaries decreased, provoking a generalized crisis in the market. At the same time the public debt, which … Continue reading The Greek Struggle Against Austerity
Pennsylvania blowout unmasks fracking dangers
by Wayne DelucaPHILADELPHIA—On April 19, a natural gas well in Bradford County in northeastern Pennsylvania had to be shut down for several days in order to stop a leak of fluid used to break rocks and force out gas buried deep underground. The well is being sealed, while drilling has stopped at seven fracking sites.Fracking … Continue reading Pennsylvania blowout unmasks fracking dangers
Malcolm X biography marred by political confusion
by Clay Wadena“Malcolm X: A Life of Reinvention,” by Manning Marable. New York, Viking Press. $30.As a student of Malcolm X’s life and powerful ideas, I eagerly waited for Manning Marable’s new biography “Malcolm X: A Life of Reinvention.” Here, I thought, would be an exhaustive presentation of Malcolm by an academic heavyweight out of … Continue reading Malcolm X biography marred by political confusion
Canada: Build on historic gains for NDP!
by Barry WeislederTORONTO—Voters in Canada made history on May 2 when they catapulted the labour-based New Democratic Party into Official Opposition status. Relegated to distant third place is the former main party of business rule, the Liberal Party. Its leader, Michael Ignatieff, lost his own Toronto seat and resigned as party leader. And despite a … Continue reading Canada: Build on historic gains for NDP!
Above the Law
by Gaetana Caldwell-Smith“The Conspirator,” directed by Robert Redford, written by James Solomon, starring James McAvoy, Kevin Kline, and Robin Wright. On this 150th anniversary of the opening of the Civil War, Robert Redford and writer James Soloman have created a beautifully shot, intense legal drama of the period that parallels much of the U.S. administration’s … Continue reading Above the Law
MAY DAY 2011
Socialist Action salutes all workers on May Day 2011—the 125th anniversary of International Workers’ Day! We recognize that workers have built our society and that we have the power to change its course towards democracy, justice, sustainability, and socialism. The international working class today faces many struggles, and we take this moment to reflect on some of the current challenges, … Continue reading MAY DAY 2011
Illinois teachers-union leaders bow before the Democrats
by David BerntCHICAGO—State houses and governors throughout the U.S. have put forth bills aimed at cutting education, firing teachers, and curtailing their union rights. A similar bill pending before the Illinois Senate would virtually end teachers’ seniority for job security, severely limit their ability to strike, and allow school boards to unilaterally impose working conditions.But while … Continue reading Illinois teachers-union leaders bow before the Democrats
Profit system fuels food crisis
by Barry WeislederGlobally, more than 935 million people go hungry every day. The dramatic rise in food prices adds millions monthly to the mass of starving people. It precipitated the “Arab Awakening” from Tunisia to Egypt. It sparked food riots in Bangladesh, and now confronts Afghanistan with a 50 per cent shortfall in funding for … Continue reading Profit system fuels food crisis
April 9 & 10 protests show a new and diverse antiwar movement
by Christine Marie The extrajudicial killing of Osama bin-Laden by U.S. special forces in Pakistan, and the Obama administration’s celebration of it, increase the likelihood that the U.S. government will seek to prolong its wars in the Middle East, Asia, and Africa—and even to launch new wars in the region. We can also expect a … Continue reading April 9 & 10 protests show a new and diverse antiwar movement
U.S./NATO, Hands Off Libya! Victory to the Uprising!
by Andrew Pollack During recent weeks the imperialist forces attacking Muammar Gadhafi’s regime have dropped what little pretense existed about their goal of regime change in Libya. The defining moment of this shift came when an op-ed cosigned by the heads of state of the U.S., Britain, and France declared: “Gadhafi must go.” In an … Continue reading U.S./NATO, Hands Off Libya! Victory to the Uprising!