Академический Документы
Профессиональный Документы
Культура Документы
Address___________________________________________________________
City/State/Zip _ ____________________________________________________
Email _ ___________________________________________________________
Workers World 55 W 17th St. #5C NY, NY 10011 212-627-2994
Page_2_ Feb._4,_2010_ workers.org
joi n us
join
without royalty provided this notice is preserved.
National Office buffalo, N.Y. Durham, N.C. Pittsburgh
55 W. 17 St. 367 delaware Ave. durham@workers.org pittsburgh@workers.org Workers World (ISSN-1070-4205) is published weekly
Workers World Party New York, NY 10011 Buffalo, NY 14202 Houston Rochester, N.Y. except the first week of January by WW Publishers,
(WWP) fights on all 212-627-2994 716-883-2534 P.O. Box 3454 585-436-6458 55 W. 17 St., N.Y., N.Y. 10011. Phone: (212) 627-2994.
issues that face the wwp@workers.org buffalo@workers.org Houston rochester@workers.org Subscriptions: One year: $25; institutions: $35. Letters
working class and Atlanta Chicago tX 77253-3454 San Diego, Calif. to the editor may be condensed and edited. Articles can
oppressed peoples— P.O. Box 5565 27 N. Wacker dr. #138 713-503-2633 P.O. Box 33447
Black and white, Chicago, il 60606 be freely reprinted, with credit to Workers World, 55 W.
Atlanta, GA 30307 houston@workers.org San diego
latino/a, Asian, Arab 404-627-0185 773-381-5839 CA 92163 17 St., New York, NY 10011. Back issues and individual
Los Angeles
and Native peoples, atlanta@workers.org chicago@workers.org 5274 W Pico Blvd 619-692-0355 articles are available on microfilm and/or photocopy
women and men, young Cleveland Suite # 207 San francisco from University Microfilms International, 300 Zeeb
and old, lesbian, gay, bi, baltimore P.O. Box 5963 los Angeles, CA 90019 2940 16th St., #207 Road, Ann Arbor, Mich. 48106. A searchable archive is
straight, trans, disabled, c/o Solidarity Center
working, unemployed 2011 N. Charles St., Bsm. Cleveland, OH 44101 la@workers.org San Francisco available on the Web at www.workers.org.
Baltimore, Md 21218 216-531-4004 323-306-6240 CA 94103
and students. cleveland@workers.org 415-738-4739 A headline digest is available via e-mail subscription.
443-909-8964 Milwaukee
if you would like to baltimore@workers.org Denver sf@workers.org Subscription information is at www.workers.org/email.
milwaukee@workers.org
know more about denver@workers.org Tucson, Ariz. php.
WWP, or to join us in boston Philadelphia
284 Amory St. Detroit P.O. Box 23843 tucson@workers.org Periodicals postage paid at New York, N.Y.
these struggles, 5920 Second Ave.
contact the branch Boston, MA 02130 Philadelphia Washington, D.C. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to
617-522-6626 detroit, Mi 48202 PA 19143 P.O. Box 57300
nearest you. 313-459-0777 Workers World, 55 W. 17 St., 5th Floor,
Fax 617-983-3836 610-931-2615 Washington, dC 20037
boston@workers.org detroit@workers.org phila@workers.org dc@workers.org New York, N.Y. 10011.
workers.org Feb 4, 2010 Page 3
bragged about it in court. Abu-Jamal, a ginning of 2010. on the committees’ Web sites and email entire continent in their backpacks.”
former Black Panther organizer, was con- There, three young Argentinean men lists. Updates from the three, sometimes The updates made many feel as if they
victed of killing Philadelphia police officer set out to climb the tallest mountain in including audio, as well as messages of were taking part of the journey, particular-
Daniel Faulkner on Dec. 9, 1981, but has Latin America, the Aconcagua in the An- encouragement and solidarity, appeared ly when reading or listening to descriptions
always maintained his innocence, and sev- des mountain range — known as the “roof on Spanish-language email lists. of the group’s climbing difficulties, which
eral prosecution witnesses from his 1982 of America.” At 6.962 meters above sea Teams of support would retransmit the included intense cold and high winds.
trial have since recanted their testimony. level, the Aconcagua is the second tallest text messages, photos and audio received On Jan. 9 they reached the top. They
Spisak’s lawyers had appealed based mountain in the world, after Mount Ever- from the mountain. Not only were there planted a flag featuring a logo created by
on the 1988 Supreme Court ruling in est in the Himalayas. daily reports, but in many cases, hourly Gerardo Hernández. They also displayed
Mills v. Maryland, which addresses con- The young men’s purpose was to send accounts. a banner that reads, “Obama, free the 5
fusing jury instructions. The Sixth Circuit a message to President Barack Obama A climate of excitement was felt Cuban heroes now!” in English and in
Court of Appeals had overturned Spisak’s and challenge the complicit commercial throughout the region. Alejandro Miran- Spanish.
sentence based on Mills but the U.S. Su- media that maintain silence while unjust da, the point person between the three The expedition can be seen on their
preme Court decided the standard did not sentences keep the five anti-terrorists lin- and the rest, summed it up: “The expedi- Web site: www.principioesperanza.com.
apply in his case. gering in U.S. jails. tion goes forward with the Five and the
It would appear that the court, which
could justify their reversal in Abu-Jamal’s ImarI Obadele, a founder of saw self-determination in the U.S. South
case, even though the two cases and the the Republic of New Africa and known as a liberation zone for the wider struggle
two defendants differ as night from day. by many as “the father of reparations,” against African-American national op-
Even though Abu-Jamal’s case met the passed away on Jan. 18 at the age of 79 pression and against U.S. imperialism in
Mills standard, the Supreme Court re- from a stroke in Atlanta. Following are the interest of the liberation of all work-
fused to apply it, in what was clearly a de- excerpts from a tribute made to Obadele ing-class and oppressed peoples.
cision motivated by politics and not law. written by Saladin Muhammad from the The RNA recognized ALL African
Abu-Jamal’s attorney, Robert R. Bryan, Black Workers League in North Carolina. Americans as citizens, unless they de- American self-determination. He did not
stated, “What occurred in Mumia’s case is clared noncitizenship. This included Black see reparations as a check to individuals
different both procedurally and factually brother Imari, as one of the founders organizations. Part of the political frame- to use to feed the capitalist market, but as
from the jury instructions in Spisak.” and leaders of the Republic of New Africa work for the demand for political prisoner resources to build the institutions, cam-
(RNA), raised the issue of self-determina- and prisoner-of-war status for combatants paigns and the mass and advance politi-
A racist frame-up
tion to the level of self-government. He in various units of the Black Liberation cal organizations of the African-American
Abu-Jamal’s supporters, including Am- saw the RNA as the Provisional Govern- Army, was developed out of the RNA un- oppressed nation’s national liberation
nesty International, members of the U.S. ment (PG) of the African-American (New der the leadership of Brother Imari. movement.
Congressional Black Caucus, the NAACP, Afrikan) oppressed nation, and worked Brother Imari took his role as president Brother Imari was a tireless soldier. He
and government leaders from France, to establish international recognition for of the PG very seriously. His constant had a good balance of fire and humility
Japan, Germany, South Africa and many the Black Nation as part of the struggle for push for reparations, including helping within his personality. He was a strategist
others, say he was framed by police, that self-determination. to found the National Coalition on Black and an on-the-ground leader. He led the
prosecution witnesses were coerced into Brother Imari saw the South as the Reparations in America, grew out of his RNA into the South, and many of its most
false testimony by the police, and that territorial anchor and homeland of the understanding of reparations being an faithful citizens and leaders followed and
ballistics evidence shows Abu-Jamal did African-American oppressed nation, and important part of the fight for African- remained there.
Page_4_ Feb._4,_2010_ workers.org
DeTROIT. ATLANTA.
Detroit.
King holiday: springboard for ongoing struggles
by Abayomi Azikiwe tion for the Advancement of Colored Peo- speech on the humanitarian crisis facing
editor, Pan-African News Wire ple. Rev. Pinkney is a recently released Haiti, which was hit by an earthquake on Ongoing support for struggles
Detroit political prisoner who served one year in January 12. The MLK Day events promoted various
detention for quoting biblical scriptures Smith is also a leading member of the labor campaigns taking place in the De-
On Jan. 18 over 1,000 people gathered that were falsely interpreted by a Berrien Interreligious Foundation for Community troit metropolitan area. The ROC organiz-
at the historic Central United Methodist County judge as a threat to another ju- Organizations/Pastors for Peace. That or- ers have a major struggle where they are
Church for a rally and march in down- rist’s life. ganization challenges the U.S. blockade picketing a well-known restaurant for its
town Detroit to honor the 81st birthday Pinkney emphasized that the legacy of against Cuba every year by transporting unfair wage and labor practices. The Mor-
of the martyred civil rights and anti-war Dr. King is very much alive and well. He material aid to the Caribbean nation lo- atorium NOW! Coalition is still pressing
activist Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. This outlined the details of his case and its re- cated just 90 miles off the coast of Florida. for the declaration of an economic state
year’s was the seventh annual demonstra- lationship to the struggle against racism Smith, in conjunction with the Bail of emergency in Detroit and the state of
tion in the city which recognizes the peace and police brutality in Benton Harbor. Out the People Movement, organized the Michigan, which has the highest unem-
and social justice legacy of Dr. King. Another keynote speaker at the MLK National March for Jobs in Pittsburgh in ployment rate in the country.
One of the keynote speakers for this rally and march was the Rev. Thomas September 2009 that kicked off the pro- On Jan. 19, the Moratorium NOW! Co-
year’s commemoration was the Rev. Ed- Smith, pastor of the Monumental Bap- tests surrounding the G-20 Summit that alition intervened in a tenants’ struggle
ward Pinkney, president of the Benton tist Church in the historic Hill District was held in that same city. where the residents were illegally locked
Harbor Chapter of the National Associa- of Pittsburgh. Smith focused most of his Sponsors of this year’s MLK events in- out of their apartments because of the
cluded City Councilperson JoAnn Watson, landlord’s failure to make electrical repairs
Ga. tech bus drivers demand justice who co-sponsored the MLK Day event
along with the Detroit MLK Day Com-
mittee; Michigan Emergency Commit-
on the building. The coalition is seeking to
have the landlord pay damages to the resi-
dents and assist in their relocation.
On dec. 18, just before Christmas,
40 unionized shuttle bus drivers who tee Against War & Injustice; Moratorium During the course of this campaign,
transport Georgia tech students, faculty NOW! Coalition; UAW Local 2334; Ma- Moratorium NOW! took the residents to
and staff around the sprawling campus trix Theatre Company; Swords Into Plow- the Detroit City Council to demand ac-
were notified they had lost their jobs. shares; Catholic Pastoral Alliance; and tion. On Jan. 26, the coalition went back
the prestigious university had awarded Detroit Wobbly Kitchen, among others. to the City Council to request a resolution
the contract to a new company, Groome The event was co-chaired by Sandra declaring an economic state of emergency
transportation, which was breaking Hines of MECAWI and the Moratorium in the city.
precedent and not retaining the existing NOW! Coalition. Other speakers and par- On Feb. 3, the Moratorium NOW! Coali-
work force. Although the drivers had
CrEdit:_Photo: Al_violA ticipants included the Detroit Ludington tion will be taking people to Lansing to keep
years of experience, the new company refused
ers, dozens of other union members, Georgia Middle School Choir; Restaurant Op- the issues of unemployment, foreclosures
to even interview them for the openings. More
than a year earlier, these men and women had tech students and community groups have portunities Center organizers; Maureen and evictions in the forefront of the minds
voted unanimously to join teamsters local 728, joined together for several protests and Taylor of the United States Social Forum the state legislature and the governor. The
making them the only unionized work force on leafleting events at university offices and bus and the Michigan Welfare Rights Organi- coalition will also be a co-sponsor for a
the tech campus. the recently hired new driv- yards. the drivers and their families carried zation; the Blaq Inc. Poets; Big A; Latinos statewide tour featuring Fight Imperialism,
ers are working for lower wages and without bright yellow signs, demanding “Justice for Unidos; and the Matrix Theatre puppets. Stand Together organizer Larry Hales dur-
the benefits guaranteed in the union contract. Georgia tech Bus drivers” in this year’s annual The Detroit Wobbly Kitchen served over ing the week of February 1-5. The tour is de-
determined to fight this union-busting Martin luther King day march, bringing a
300 meals to the march participants after signed to build the National Day of Action
move sanctioned by school officials, the driv- message of workers’ rights to the day.
the demonstration through downtown. to Defend Public Education on March 4.
— Dianne Mathiowetz
workers.org Feb 4, 2010 Page 7
on Haiti
emergency meeting Liberté and Amy Goodman of Democracy
on the crisis in Haiti. Now! had similar comments. Ives de-
Speakers included
scribed a scene outside General Hospital:
Kevin Carey, Andrea
“Here were people who were going in and
Egypt, Ignacio Men-
eses, Kris Hamel and out of the hospital bringing food to their
Abayomi Azikiwe. loved ones in there or needing to go to the
hospital, and there were a bunch of U.S.
ww_Photo:_ChEryl_lABASh
82nd Airborne soldiers in front yelling in
workers.org Feb 4, 2010 Page 9
T
Various organizations and govern- According to the Daily Maverick news- with Haiti, the African Union Commis- he recent natural disaster
ments throughout Africa are working to paper, “The campaign will spend the next sion Chair, Jean Ping, revealed on Jan. in Haiti has once again
provide relief to the people of Haiti in the six months raising cash primarily from 25 that the continental organization was thrown Haiti into the eyes
aftermath of the Jan. 12 earthquake and ordinary Africans all over the continent. setting up an account with the African De- of the world and once again
subsequent aftershocks. In South Africa, Then it will send representatives to Haiti, velopment Bank to solicit contributions brought out the best and
churches, mass organizations and the which should be knee-deep in the busi- for ongoing efforts to assist the people of the worst of us. The sheer
government are encouraging the people ness of rebuilding by that point.” (Jan. 25) Haiti. scale of human suffering
to immediately come to the aid of Haiti. The aid deliveries to Haiti have two In an African Press Agency report is- has evoked massive com-
The general thrust in aid efforts stems main purposes: “one, to show the face sued on Jan. 25, it states, “The AU Com- passion as governments
from the common history of an African and voice of African solidarity and sec- mission intends, through this initiative, far and wide mobilize to assist those
heritage and shared legacy of slavery, co- ond, to fact-find and identify which are to collect in absolute transparency all fi- unable to assist themselves.
lonialism and neocolonialism. Some well- the community organizations and NGOs nancial contributions of member states Haiti, once the colonial era “pearl
known figures in the Haitian relief efforts we can work with so we can channel our wishing to express their active solidarity of the Antilles,” then the mother of
include Bishop Desmond Tutu and Graca support to them, and leave them to be the towards Haiti which is considered by the revolutions, has suffered for nearly two
Machel. The African National Congress- major implementers of the programs that AU as the sixth region of Africa.” Ping de- centuries for daring to fight for and win
led government in South Africa has a con- we will agree upon together,” says Graca scribed the earthquake as a major disaster its freedom from European colonialism
siderable history of supporting Haiti and Machel. (Daily Maverick, Jan. 25) and urged African groups and Africans in and plunder.
its ousted head of state Jean-Bertrand The Nelson Mandela Foundation host- the Diaspora to move forward with a mas- Haiti, we are informed by the corpo-
Aristide. ed a Jan. 22 press conference and pledged sive support campaign for Haiti. rate media, is the poorest nation in the
South Africa was one of the major its support to the relief efforts. The Foun- West. We are never told, however, how
states to recognize the 200th anniversary dation says that the Africa for Haiti Cam- Lessons for east Africa
it got that way. How many of us know
of Haitian independence in 2004. Presi- paign “will identify, in partnership with Scientists and policymakers are also that the U.S. brutally occupied Haiti and
dent Aristide was granted asylum there Haitian civil society organizations, initia- studying the situation in Haiti in order to stayed there for more than 20 years! Or
and has spoken out about returning to as- tives in which it can assist. It also hopes to prepare for future disasters on the Afri- that Haiti, which had the temerity to de-
sist in the relief efforts. provide Africans from all walks of life an can continent. Chris Hartnady, a former feat not one, not two, but three colonial
The South-African-based Gift of the opportunity to demonstrate their collec- associate professor in the Department of armies — the French, the British and
Givers rescue team helped to clear out tive solidarity and support for the people Geological Sciences at the University of the Spanish — was forced to pay French
a damaged hospital in Port-au-Prince of Haiti thereby uniting Africans in com- Cape Town in South Africa, said recently, reparations for nearly 200 years. The
which had 600 bodies buried underneath passion and giving.” (Episcopal Life On- “Large areas of the African Continent are first and only time that a victor in war
the rubble. The hospital is being repaired line, Jan. 22) in an unstable, tectonically active state had to pay back the nation it defeated.
in order to resume efforts to provide med- In a statement made by former South and, especially in the mountain regions, Haiti isn’t just poor. It has been
ical treatment to thousands of people in African Archbishop Desmond Tutu, he substantial danger is posed to growing impoverished by a global system of
need of immediate care. says: “We were supported wonderfully populations.” (The East African, Jan. 25) exploitation and a plantation capitalist
Dr. Imtiaz Sooliman, the chair of Gift by the international community when Between 1980 and 2002, Africa was economy that was designed as a sanction
of the Givers, said: “Six of our team mem- we struggled against the vicious policy hit by over 50 earthquakes that resulted for Black liberation.
bers will be deployed here [at the hospi- of apartheid. Today the people of Haiti, in more than 23,000 deaths and injuries. C.L.R. James, the great revolution-
tal] and will be joined by a seven-member struck twice by the earthquake, are in The East African Rift System has some of ary scholar-activist, has argued that the
Mexican team. The other four members a worse predicament than we were. As the most densely populated areas on the Haitian revolution was a singular event
are going to a Cathedral to start suturing South Africans, we especially want to do continent such as the Virunga Mountains in human history of more significance
and treating the huge influx of patients our bit to alleviate the immense suffering located between Uganda, Rwanda and the than either the French or the American
arriving there.” (Independent Online, of our sisters and brothers in Haiti. I wel- Democratic Republic of Congo. revolutions. In part that is because the
South Africa, Jan. 25) come the initiative by Graca Machel and A 2004 workshop held in Nairobi, Ke- Haitian revolution spelled the end to
A partial list of pledges from Afri- others. It deserves our wholehearted and nya, predicted that if an earthquake oc- French imperialism in America. Napo-
can governments includes South Africa, very generous support.” (Episcopal Life curred with a similar magnitude as the leon, having lost his Haitian cash cow,
which has offered $135,000 along with Online, Jan. 22) one which took place in 1910 in Rukwa sold vast lands to the U.S. for a song,
other material assistance; Chad, which is This approach to aid delivery will be (7.4, Africa’s most severe in the 20th cen- doubling the size of the U.S. in one day.
donating $500,000; the Democratic Re- based upon the experiences of Africa, tury) the impact would be devastating. That an American preacher could
public of Congo, which has pledged $2.5 which as an underdeveloped region has The quake could potentially damage large today liken the event to the devil gives
million; and Sierra Leone, which has of- had many negative interactions with areas on the East African coastline includ- us some idea of its continuing power.
fered $100,000. Western-based charitable agencies that ing Mombasa in Kenya, Dar es Salaam in Interestingly, neither of these other revo-
These aid efforts are called the “Africa do not understand nor respect the culture Tanzania and Beira in Mozambique. lutions could spell the end of that truly
for Haiti Campaign,” which over the next and social situation of the people. In an article published in the East Af- demonic institution, slavery. Indeed, the
six months will collect funds and materi- In utilizing a people-based, grassroots rican on Jan. 25, it emphasized the need reverse is true. For George Washington
als to assist the Caribbean nation where approach to Haitian relief, “the African for disaster preparedness. The article and Thomas Jefferson were slave own-
some 3 million people have been impact- initiative may be more welcome than, say, says: “In the case of earthquakes, disas- ers. And Napoleon Bonaparte sent his
ed by the 7.0 earthquake. This project the far richer offers of help that will come ter-preparedness need not cost the earth. army to Haiti to defend slavery.
in from the U.S. The assembled group use One important prerequisite is to tap into Decades and decades of U.S.-support-
words like ‘solidarity’ and ‘dignity’ a lot. and expand the local knowledge base. Ac- ed dictators, the legacy of plantation
They want to focus on building long-term cording to the report from the 2004 meet- capitalism and exploitation, U.S.-sup-
English at this crowd. They didn’t know relationships.” (Daily Maverick, Jan. 25) ing in Nairobi, while particular seismic ported coups like the Bush-era removal
what they were doing. They were creating events cannot be predicted, the general of President Jean-Bertrand Aristide,
more chaos rather than diminishing it.” Senegal offers land for repatriation level of seismicity across broad areas can and corporate strangulation of the poor
(Haiti Liberté, Jan. 20-26) President Abdoulaye Wade of the West be forecast for up to hundreds of years in workers in Haiti have left it severely un-
And when a truckload of food came African nation of Senegal recently offered the future.” derdeveloped and thus less able to cope
unannounced in the middle of the night to re-settle displaced Haitians on the con- The efforts of people in Africa and with natural disasters when they strike.
to the Delmas 33 neighborhood, “the lo- tinent. Wade says that his proposal will be other oppressed regions of the world are Several years ago when a hurricane hit
cal popular organization … immediately submitted to the African Union very soon important in the struggle to rebuild Haiti a city in the world’s wealthiest nation,
mobilized their members. They came out. for its approval and assistance. in a fashion that will benefit the working the wealthy and middle classes had the
They set up a perimeter. They set up a cor- Wade says that the history of enslave- and poor people of the country. An up- resources to flee just before the worst
don. They lined up about 600 people who ment of Africans in Haiti entitled the de- coming “donors conference” in Canada struck the town. In Haiti those resources
were staying on the soccer field behind scendants the right to return to the conti- will bring together representatives of im- were even more rare. But an earthquake
the house, which is also a hospital, and nent of their ancestors. “All we are saying perialist states whose aim is to lead the isn’t a hurricane. It strikes suddenly,
they distributed the food in an orderly, is that the Haitians didn’t take themselves reconstruction efforts in the interests of without warning. But many nations like
equitable fashion. They were totally suf- over there. They are there because of slav- global capitalism. Japan have constructed buildings which
ficient. They didn’t need Marines. They ery, five centuries of slavery.” (Reuters Gerald Caplan, the author of “The Be- resist the bumps and whirls of earth-
didn’t need the U.N.” (Democracy Now! TV, Jan. 25) trayal of Africa,” says that this same im- quakes. Such techniques if applied to
transcript, Jan. 20) The 83-year-old leader said: “We have perialist approach toward Haiti will only Haitian schools, homes and offices could
Ives told Workers World on Jan. 26: to offer them the chance to come to Af- benefit the Western industrialized states have greatly reduced loss of life and suf-
“The earthquake was half a revolution, re- rica, that is my idea. They have as much and not the Haitian people. Caplan says: fering.
moving all the government buildings and a right to Africa as I have. You can’t tell “What is important to note about most If it hadn’t been bled and exploited
virtually eliminating the repressive power me it’s not possible. It’s all possible if the donor countries, including Canada, is that for centuries, Haiti would have had the
of the state. That’s why the U.S. is rushing Haitians seek it.” (Reuters, Jan. 25) they have always extracted far more from resources available to protect its people
in to replace that state power, to control He went on to urge that other African the poor recipient countries than they’ve as much as possible.
Haiti’s future and to prevent the people of states naturalize any person from Haiti contributed. Poor countries, in reality, Let us hope that Haiti’s future will be
Haiti from carrying out the other half.” who sought a new nationality. In addi- have been net donors to us rich folks.” brighter than its postcolonial past.
E-mail: jcat@workers.org tion, he is encouraging mass adoption (Globe and Mail, Jan. 22)
Page_10_ Feb._4,_2010_ workers.org
WORKERS WORLD
W
e’ve all seen the images so images that, fundamentally, refuse to declared a U.S. cyber cold war on China? stakes and turned what might have been
many times: a Black youth, take into account the legacy of pain and On Jan. 21, Clinton gave a speech titled initially a “business dispute” into some-
or maybe it’s a Black mother, suffering, the will to survive or the right “Internet Freedom.” News accounts gen- thing more.
or a Black elder taking food, clothing, to resist. erally tie the speech to a recent report by The Chinese newspaper Global Times’
items to be sold “illegally” from a store. What’s the theft of basic items of Google that it had been subjected to cyber editorial on Jan. 22 calls it “information
This person is possibly hungry, un- survival compared to the theft of whole attacks that originated in China. imperialism” and says that the Internet
doubtedly poor and in some level of dis- lands and peoples? The very imperial- What’s left out of most reports, but was campaign launched by the Clinton speech
tress — whether it be from the ravages ists who raise charges of looting, if they not missed by China and its media, was the “is a disguised attempt to impose [U.S.]
of the 2010 earthquake in Haiti; the had their way, would loot and exploit rest of the speech. After China’s response values on other cultures in the name of
combined devastation and racist neglect all the peoples of the world and the very to the speech, the New York Time’s char- democracy.
in the aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina environment we live in, until there’s acterized the talk very differently than it “The hard fact that Clinton has failed to
and Rita in 2005; or even the righteous nothing left. These imperialists employ did in its initial report: highlight in her speech is that the bulk of the
anger, in response to police brutality, every manner of violence — from starva- “Clinton’s sweeping speech with its cold information flowing from the U.S. and other
that leads to rebellions. The person has tion to guns and bombs — to get what war undertones — likening the informa- Western countries is loaded with aggres-
few, if any, options and, in all probabil- they want. tion curtain to the Iron Curtain — criti- sive rhetoric against those countries that
ity, hasn’t had any for a long time. While the threat of “looting” by the cized several countries by name, including do not follow their lead,” Global Times says.
And yet when times get desperate, oppressed is in reality very minimal China, for Internet censorship. It was the “In contrast, in the global information
and this person is captured on cam- to the imperialists, they do face a real first speech in which a top administration order, countries that are disadvantaged
era securing necessities for his or her security issue. It’s the threat that those official offered a vision for making Inter- could not produce the massive flow of in-
family, this person is demonized as a who have been oppressed for centuries net freedom an integral part of foreign formation required, and could never rival
“looter.” When natural disasters occur will rise up, perhaps employing the policy.” (N.Y. Times, Jan. 22) the Western countries in terms of infor-
in areas with a high concentration of same violence that they have always The speech is available in its entirety on mation control and dissemination.
people of color, the highest concern been subjected to. That is why the U.S. the State Department’s Web site. It is filled “Keeping that in mind, it must be real-
echoed on the TV networks and in the sends troops rather than aid to Haiti in with aggressive cold war references to the ized that when it comes to information
printed press is that of “security.” its time of need. Berlin Wall and an “Information Iron Cur- content, quantity, direction and flow, there
It is the height of racism that allows The imperialists face a second threat, tain” as well as other cold war rhetoric, like is absolutely no equality and fairness.
government figures and their talking one that significantly augments the first. a speech from the U.S. State Department “The online freedom of unrestricted ac-
heads in the corporate media to even It’s that the oppressed have allies who during the Reagan years. cess is, thus, only one-way traffic, contrary
mention looting during such tumultu- will rise up with them, who realize they Clinton’s Internet declaration follows to the spirit of democracy and calculated
ous events. It’s based on the old colo- face the same oppressor, who are aware the announcement only seven months ear- to strengthen a monopoly,” Global Times
nialist mentality that people of color are that their strength lies in unity. In an lier on June 23 by the Pentagon’s secretary concludes. (opinion.globaltimes.cn)
“savages” who need to be kept in line by attempt to avoid this, they ply us with of war, Robert Gates, that a new military The accuracy of that statement is con-
the white man. And it’s reinforced by images of the dreaded “looters,” who cybercommand has been created for the firmed by the cyber attacks that originated
the one-dimensional images of people are really our sisters and brothers in purpose of conducting cyberwarfare. in the U.S. targeting the government of
of color that are shown all the time — struggle. Clinton’s speech is not explicitly a war Iran. Clinton did not mention this censor-
statement, but rather a proclamation of ship of Iran, an attack that shut down for a
Another deadline with death looms speech at this time. In early January, Google
announced that it is reviewing its business
operations in China because of cyber at-
Clinton, by leaving out any mention of this
cyber attack, this censorship of Iran, was by
implication giving it official sanction, may-
Continued from page 4 women who remain in Atlanta. Their lev- tacks it says originated in China. Although be even implying that this is what’s in store
treatments can cause death. el of stress and anxiety undoubtedly im- Google does not say it directly, the impli- for any countries that oppose U.S. dictates.
The Grady Coalition, doctors and other pacts their overall health. Their spouses, cation is that the Chinese government is As for Internet freedom and censorship,
health advocates were joined by the pa- children and grandchildren are worried behind the alleged attacks. The fact is that no mention was made of the FBI’s arrest
tients and their families in rallies outside and scared that their loved ones will die. Google doesn’t know the source and is only of G-20 protesters last September in Pitts-
the hospital demanding the clinic remain Each deadline brings more terror about able to trace the attack to servers in Taiwan, burgh for using Twitter to communicate
open. Patients provided passionate tes- the future. but anything beyond that is only a guess. during their demonstration. The absence
timony at board meetings, and a lawsuit In a suspicious move, Emory Health Google chief legal officer, David Drum- of any mention by Clinton of this widely
was filed which resulted in a temporary Services is opening three dialysis clin- mond, said in a Jan. 12 blog posting, “We reported attempt to intimidate protest-
injunction. The hospital administration ics in early 2010. The extraordinarily have evidence to suggest that a primary goal ers was confirmation that the speech was
initially told people their only options wealthy, private Emory University exer- of the attackers was accessing the Gmail about U.S. monopoly control of the Inter-
were to return to their home country cises tremendous influence over the op- accounts of Chinese human rights activ- net, not about any alleged freedoms.
or go to another state with shorter resi- erations of Grady Hospital and has ties ists.” This is a revealing statement, because China didn’t miss the message. The of-
dency requirements for Medicaid if they to the businessmen on the Board who it also uses imperialist cold war terminolo- ficial English-language China Daily had a
couldn’t make arrangements for dialysis made the decision to end free and acces- gy. In the twisted terminology of imperial- front page report headlined: “New shot in
at for-profit clinics. Under public pres- sible dialysis care to the poor. ism, the phrase “human rights activists” is the arm for U.S. hegemony.”
sure, Grady then agreed to pay for private A spirited protest by Grady Coalition used to describe anti-communist individu- The report details how the U.S. com-
treatment for three months until Decem- members disrupted the grand opening als, particularly those actively seeking to pletely dominates and controls the Inter-
ber; then until January. Now the cutoff of ceremonies of the South DeKalb Emory overthrow a government not dominated or net and how it is U.S. military policy to
care is Feb. 3. Dialysis Clinic on Jan. 21. Chanting, controlled by the U.S. The phrase human maintain that domination.
At least three of the uninsured patients “People before profit! Serve the Grady rights activist is never used to describe “The U.S. Defense Strategy Review in
have died while this cruel cat-and-mouse patients!” and “Health care is a right! those fighting for justice and against op- March 2005 stated that Internet space
gamesmanship has been going on. Until Shame on Emory!” the group demanded pression in a U.S. ally or client state. should have the same priority as continen-
now, the for-profit centers have refused that life-sustaining dialysis care be pro- An interesting side note to the Google tal, marine, aerial and outer space juris-
to provide free care for some 40 men and vided immediately and at no cost. cyber attack is provided by Macworld re- dictions for the U.S. to maintain a decisive
porter Robert McMillan, who says that the superiority. A statement from Washington
attackers used the backdoor into Google on June 30, 2005, made it clear that the
MarxisM, reparations that is mandated by the U.S. security ser-
vices to give them access to monitor Inter-
U.S. government would maintain its con-
trol … indefinitely,” China Daily reports.
& the Black Freedom struggle net activity. The article has a great deal of informa-
An anthology of writings from Workers World newspaper. Google is unlikely to close its business tion. For example, it quotes a former U.S.
Edited by Monica Moorehead. includes: in China. China has 298 million Internet intelligence agent who says that the CIA’s
Racism, National Oppression & Self-determination larry_holmes_ users according to the China Internet Net- primary means for gathering information
Black labor from Chattel Slavery to Wage Slavery Sam_marcy work Information Center, almost double on China is through the Internet. And
Harriet tubman, Woman Warrior mumia_Abu-jamal the number in the U.S. And Google is in the move by China last June to require
Black Youth: Repression & Resistance leilani_dowell the business of collecting Internet clickers. a filter named Green Dam, which blocks
Alabama’s Black Belt: legacy of slavery, Google does appear to be trying to use this spying activity, is what is in dispute with
the Struggle for Socialism is Key monica_moorehead
sharecropping and segregation event in order to negotiate a change in its Google. Google is seeking to take off the
Black & Brown Unity: A Pillar of Struggle for Human Consuela_lee
Rights and Global Justice! Saladin_muhammad terms for doing business in China. Just as Green Dam filter. Read the full report at
Are Conditions Ripe Again today? 40th Anniversary Haiti Needs reparations, not sanctions Google’s operations in the U.S. require it www.chinadaily.com.cn, including the
of the 1965 Watts Rebellion john_Parker Pat_Chin to carry out some costly practices in order details on cyber war attacks by Pentagon
Racism and Poverty in the delta Available at leftbooks.com to be compliant with laws that are said to contractors Northrop Grumman Corp and
larry_hales or at bookstores around the country be meant to prevent illegal practices, so General Dynamics.
workers.org Feb 4, 2010 Page 11
Is U.S. planning a
country took the struggle a step further. gencies in Yemeni. Most significant are
After a successful armed struggle, they the Houthi insurrection in the north and
set up a state which aspired to build so- especially the secular Southern Move-