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PAGE ONE: 1999: GOOD MORNING, REVOLUTION
It's a new year, and as we review the state of things, a passage
in Langston Hughes' poem "Good Morning Revolution" comes to mind:
Good Morning Revolution, you're the very best friend I've ever
had.
Yes, the American people are certainly in dire need of very best
friends. Particularly, as we look at the ruling class's moral
conduct in 1998. The ideological right demanded in a frenzied
pitch the impeachment of Bill Clinton for lying about his
indiscretions with Monica Lewinsky. To make matters worse,
Clinton, in an effort to save himself, ordered our sons and
daughters to strike swiftly and mortally against the women and
children of Iraq. For four days in December, U.S. missiles pounded
Iraq, supposedly to teach President Saddam Hussein a lesson. Yet,
Hussein remains untouched as the people of Iraq bury their dead.
What's ironic is that Mr. Clinton ordered the air strike against
Iraq while he was flying back from the Middle East where he went
to promote "peace." This immoral conduct of our rulers reflects
their economic interests.
Today, we're witnessing the unraveling of the economic, moral and
political fabric of America. This began with the process of
consolidation of wealth on a global scale. This accumulation of
wealth, for example, has produced an oil
baron's dynasty; the merger of Exxon and Mobil is the largest
merger in history. This consolidation of wealth is incompatible
with democracy. The result: a fascistic world order.
The world is in transition from a morality and a political order
that once fitted democracy to one that best fits the new global
economic interests -- fascism. The owners of the accumulated
wealth in the world are prepared to attack civil liberties
worldwide. National boundaries can't hold them back; they owe
allegiance to no flag.
We, the people, are the only ones that can stop their onslaught on
humanity, but we have to be clear on our vision and purpose. What
is it going to be? Our rulers' vision of the world, which will
lead to destitution and poverty for the majority of humanity? Or
do we need to break with our rulers and their morality and fight
for our own vision of a peaceful and orderly world?
Yes, the American people are in need of very best friends. Friends
who will stand on the side of revolution. New revolutionaries --
visionaries -- who will sound the alarm as to the impending
catastrophe. Revolutionaries need to gather their forces, multiply
their numbers, and go among the people to teach them not to be
pawns in our rulers' chess game.
So 1999, Good Morning Revolution, you're the very best friend I've
ever had.
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INDEX to the PEOPLE'S TRIBUNE/TRIBUNO DEL PUEBLO (Online Edition)
Vol. 26 No. 1/ January, 1999
Editorial
1. MEGAMERGERS AND THE THREAT OF A GLOBAL POLICE STATE
News and Features
2. WHY IS THE FAMILY BEING DESTROYED?
3. LABOR PARTY'S GROWTH KEY TO FIGHT FOR A NEW AMERICA
4. VOICES FROM THE LABOR PARTY'S FIRST CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION
5. STRUGGLE FOR ECONOMIC HUMAN RIGHTS, POLITICAL INDEPENDENCE
CONTINUES
6. HOW THE GOVERNMENT WILL RESPOND TO OUR DISCONTENT
7. GUEST-WORKER PLAN FOR FARM LABOR TO BE RE-INTRODUCED IN
CONGRESS
8. "180" -- A NEW STUDENT MOVEMENT TO TURN THINGS AROUND
Spirit of the Revolution
9. HOW TO APPEAL TO HIGHER PRINCIPLES?
American Lockdown
10. LIBERATION RADIO BROADCASTER SENTENCED; SUPPORTERS VOW TO
FIGHT ON
Announcements, Events, etc.
11. SPEAKERS FOR A NEW AMERICA: AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY MONTH
SPEAKING TOUR, 1999; PLUS LEAGUE PRODUCES MONTHLY RADIO
PROGRAM!
[To subscribe to the online edition, send a message to pt-
[email protected] with "Subscribe" in the subject line.]
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TOPIC
01-99 Edit: Megamergers and global police state
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People's Tribune/Tribuno del Pueblo (Online Edition)
Vol. 26 No. 1/ January, 1999
P.O. Box 3524, Chicago, IL 60654
http://www.mcs.com/~league
******************************************************************
1. EDITORIAL: MEGAMERGERS AND THE THREAT OF A GLOBAL POLICE STATE
There are giants beginning to stalk the earth and they threaten to
crush humanity beneath their feet. They are the gigantic
supranational corporations that are being created by the
megamergers that we hear announced almost daily. What are the
political implications? And what can we do about it?
Huge companies whose interests span the globe are being created by
these blockbuster deals in banking, finance, manufacturing and
telecommunications. It turns out that 1998 was a record year for
mergers and acquisitions, with more than $1 trillion worth of such
deals announced in the United States alone.
The acquisitions of Citicorp by Travelers Group, of Amoco by
British Petroleum, and of Chrysler by Daimler Benz are among the
most recent examples. These megacompanies see the world as their
oyster; they have no loyalty to any country or to any particular
group of workers, and they are more powerful than the governments
of most countries. They want to be able to move about the world at
will, shifting investment wherever it is most profitable. The
appearance on the world scene of these giant companies is one more
manifestation of the consolidation of capital, of wealth, in the
hands of a few at the top of society. The reflection of this at
the bottom of society, meanwhile, is rapidly growing poverty and
misery.
To see all the implications of this polarity of wealth, we have to
put these developments in the context of a growing worldwide
economic crisis and the political crisis that will necessarily
result. The "Asian crisis" continues to spread and it is only a
matter of time before humanity is engulfed in a worldwide
depression. Every day we read about more layoffs in Europe, in the
United States and elsewhere. Already, there are food riots and
street fighting in places like Indonesia.
As full-blown economic crisis hits the major pillars of the global
economy -- Japan, the United States and Europe -- and these
regions become increasingly unstable, the capitalist system itself
will be threatened. People will demand their right to the
necessities of life, and this is a right that capitalism cannot
guarantee.
The megacorporations will necessarily pressure the governments of
the world to crack down in order to preserve the existing system.
Out of the coming global crisis will come an effort to impose a
global fascism. This drive toward fascism is rooted in the needs
of the megacompanies. This global police state probably won't take
the same form as the fascism of the 1930s, but it will be just as
real. Those who understand the danger must rally people against
this tidal wave of tyranny that threatens to overwhelm us.
People are resisting. This fight takes many forms, including
organizing cross-border trade unions and various other forms of
resistance to globalization.
But the process of creating these megacorporations is a historical
one; the global economy is upon us and the corporate giants have
to grow larger and larger in order to compete. How can these
global giants be successfully resisted when they can easily move
jobs and capital from one area of the world to another and when
the governments of the world do their bidding? In the end, we will
either have to submit to the dictates of the corporations (meaning
we'll become less free and more poor) or we are going to have to
take them over and run them ourselves, in society's interest. The
choice is ours.
One thing that is needed immediately is an organization of
revolutionaries, dedicated to the purpose of arousing and
awakening the people to the danger that confronts them. The League
of Revolutionaries for a New America, publisher of the People's
Tribune/Tribuno del Pueblo, is dedicated to this purpose. We call
on all those who understand the necessity of educating people
about the nature of the struggle that confronts them to join the
League.
******************************************************************
This article originated in the PEOPLE'S TRIBUNE/TRIBUNO DEL PUEBLO
(Online Edition), Vol. 26 No. 1/ January, 1999; P.O. Box 3524,
Chicago, IL 60654; Email:
[email protected];
http://www.mcs.com/~league
Feel free to reproduce and use unless marked as copyrighted. The
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TOPIC
01-99 Why is the family being destroyed?
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People's Tribune/Tribuno del Pueblo (Online Edition)
Vol. 26 No. 1/ January, 1999
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2. WHY IS THE FAMILY BEING DESTROYED?
By Steve Miller
The destruction of the family includes: the ever-increasing number
of single-parent families; the vicious pace of a life to make ends
meet; alienated youth, runaways and anti-social behavior (not to
mention the terrible crimes against youth); and skyrocketing
child-care costs.
Now, electronics guru Don Tapscott has finally let the cat out of
the bag. In discussing the electronics-based post-industrial
society that is busily reorganizing every facet of global life,
Tapscott states that the "worker [human molecule] functions as a
business unit of one" ("The Digital Economy," page 53). He reports
that corporate visionaries consider this a true revelation.
Tapscott recognizes that, with electronics, human productivity is
vastly greater than ever before in human history. The frightening
question lurking behind his comments: What is the minimum size of
the family when the economic production unit is one?
Families, like every other institution of society, change when the
technology changes.
In the early 20th century, experts noted that most Americans lived
in extended families and on farms. The extended family was the
essential production unit in an agriculturally based society that
had used pretty much the same technology for a thousand years.
Back in those days, a whole family could actually survive and
thrive on the father's wages alone.
After World War II -- and coinciding with a tremendous leap in
industrial production -- the nuclear family evolved. In fact, it
was no longer "cost effective" to have all those extra cousins and
uncles hanging around. The mass media spread this idea. Early
television sitcoms like "Leave It to Beaver" enthusiastically
championed this new form of social organization while extended
families were ridiculed in shows like "The Beverly Hillbillies."
By the 1970s, both parents had to work to sustain most working-
class families. The nuclear family was being shattered and the
single-parent family was evolving. Partly this was because women
finally had real economic independence (since they had to work)
and could end abusive relationships.
Family has always been the unit of reproduction, and not just of
the species through child rearing. Historically, the family has
been the unit of reproduction of the laborer as well. Tapscott
raises issues that lurk on the dark side of our society.
Productivity with electronics is so high that it is reversing the
economics of scarcity that most of us think defines the way things
must be. It really is true that it is no longer socially necessary
to produce a family in order to reproduce labor. But this should
liberate society, not lead to the destruction of the family. That
this occurs is neither the fault of the family nor of technology.
In a capitalist society, what is considered socially necessary is
subordinated to private profits. Capitalism values only what it
can exploit. It's even completely legal to make a profit by
exploiting other people's misery!
Productivity is narrowly defined by how it benefits billionaires.
What is unproductive has no value. From the point of view of
families, there are no unproductive people. What price do you put
on a baby's laugh or the gentle wisdom of an elder?
Humans need love, families and social relations that match and
support our vast potential. Americans recognize this and are not
passively witnessing the crumbling of the nuclear family. New
impulses toward families are always springing up. Posses, crews
and gangs provide the support and love that allow people to
develop. Homeless people and welfare moms band together to win a
common set of goals. This ain't gonna stop.
It does demand, however, a new definition about what is considered
socially necessary. The entire world is searching for new social
relations that are in synch with our goals: to live comfortably,
be well-educated, make contributions, enjoy culture and the people
we love. That is what is socially necessary, first and foremost.
Electronics is already transforming every institution of our
society. How this transformation takes place is up to us. This is
the central political battle of our lives.
******************************************************************
This article originated in the PEOPLE'S TRIBUNE/TRIBUNO DEL PUEBLO
(Online Edition), Vol. 26 No. 1/ January, 1999; P.O. Box 3524,
Chicago, IL 60654; Email:
[email protected];
http://www.mcs.com/~league
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TOPIC
01-99 Labor Party's growth key to fight for a new America
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People's Tribune/Tribuno del Pueblo (Online Edition)
Vol. 26 No. 1/ January, 1999
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3. LABOR PARTY'S GROWTH KEY TO FIGHT FOR A NEW AMERICA
[With its recent First Constitutional Convention, the Labor Party
has taken another step forward and further stabilized itself in
the political life of the United States, ushering in a new era for
politics and new hope.]
The Labor Party was founded in June 1996 in Cleveland. At the 1996
convention, the party adopted its program and constitution. Its
"Call For Economic Justice" established the Labor Party as a party
of the working class -- of both employed and unemployed.
At the founding convention, the Labor Party decided not to endorse
candidates, choosing instead to pursue education around its
program.
Many critics said it wouldn't survive. Indeed, it has.
The Labor Party convened its First Constitutional Convention in
Pittsburgh in November. The convention was attended by close to
1,300 delegates, the majority of which were union members. The
convention established an organizational plan. The thrust of this
plan is three-fold. First, there is a shift to local organizing
committees based in smaller territorial areas than the chapters --
roughly corresponding to precincts or wards. Secondly, four
campaigns are to be used as educational work for chapters and
committees. Thirdly, a strategy was formulated aimed at setting
guidelines for participation in elections. The crucial element of
the convention was a continued focus on education and recruitment.
The convention was held against the backdrop of a growing
worldwide economic crisis threatening the stability of whole
nations and of capitalism. There is an escalating frustration with
the electoral process and the distortion of political debate in
this country. There is a growing spontaneous movement toward
political independence that everyone on the political spectrum is
trying to take advantage of. This movement is made up of the poor
caught in a downward spiral of poverty and destitution, the
marginally employed, and the employed that are being faced with
downsizing and dramatic cuts in their standard of living.
The disenfranchisement of the working class expresses itself in
the growing frustration and discontent in America. The far right
is one element attempting to impose its morality and reactionary
ideology on this movement that has no political voice. At the same
time there are populists that seem to represent down home logic
who are trying to take advantage of the situation. This is a
dangerous situation that can lead various sectors of the
population to move against their own interests as a class. The
founding and growth of the Labor Party is happening at a crucial
moment when the working class desperately needs leadership.
The crying need of the times is for a party that will educate the
working class -- employed and unemployed -- about its interests as
a class, and that will bring in and represent all the
organizations of the working class, especially those fighting
against the attacks perpetrated by a capitalist class that is
trying to maintain a dying system.
There are many dangers to the fledgling party from many quarters.
There will continue to be attempts at isolation and attack against
those leaders that serve as the organizational core of the party.
However, the Labor Party has all the elements to survive and
succeed. Its continued growth is of the utmost importance to the
struggle to build a just and prosperous America for all.
******************************************************************
This article originated in the PEOPLE'S TRIBUNE/TRIBUNO DEL PUEBLO
(Online Edition), Vol. 26 No. 1/ January, 1999; P.O. Box 3524,
Chicago, IL 60654; Email:
[email protected];
http://www.mcs.com/~league
Feel free to reproduce and use unless marked as copyrighted. The
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TOPIC
01-99 Voices from Labor Party Convention
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People's Tribune/Tribuno del Pueblo (Online Edition)
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4. VOICES FROM THE LABOR PARTY'S FIRST CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION
[During the Labor Party's First Constitutional Convention, held in
Pittsburgh in November, the People's Tribune/Tribuno del Pueblo
interviewed several of those attending the convention. Below are
excerpts from these interviews.]
BALDEMAR VELASQUEZ, farm labor organizer
Baldemar Velasquez is director of the Farm Labor Organizing
Committee (FLOC). FLOC is an organization seeking to organize farm
workers that has been part of the labor struggle for close to 30
years in this country. They have won major contracts for workers
in Ohio and Michigan with companies like Heinz, Campbell's Soup
and Dean Foods. Their work also involves organizing across the
border into Mexico.
PT/TP: We are present at a very important convention of the Labor
Party, something that represents a new direction for the workers
of this country and the possibility of a new political party. What
does the Labor Party mean to FLOC and the immigrant worker?
BALDEMAR VELASQUEZ: Well, I see it as an opportunity. It is the
first time that I feel a different attitude and politics in this
country is being established and that it accepts the immigrant
worker and the struggle for the rights of these workers in this
country. I hope that the labor movement takes the issue of
immigration as an issue of the labor movement itself.
PT/TP: How have the workers of FLOC accepted the Labor Party? Are
they becoming part of it?
BV: I think they are waiting. They are waiting and observing what
direction the leadership will take and how they will treat the
issues that affect them like immigration, the struggle with the
INS and the politics of the borders. We are trying to develop all
of these points. I always speak to these issues; [at] every
convention when I intervene on their behalf with these issues, we
are well received. But everything must be done in writing, in
resolutions and become part of the constitution of the Labor
Party. All of this will come with time. I am waiting for all of
this to develop and the workers are waiting to see how all of this
will conclude.
The other thing we are all waiting for -- that the whole world
awaits -- is to see when we will have the conditions to run
candidates. When all the regulations are in place to run
candidates, then we will develop a campaign among the farm
workers, Mexican workers, to begin to register them to vote. To
date, we have never run a campaign to register voters to the only
alternatives the current leadership offers, which are the
Democrats and Republicans. I don't want to register voters so they
[the Democrats and Republicans] can have their vote. We are
waiting for the candidates to begin this kind of work.
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JERRY ZERO, Teamsters Local 705, Chicago
PT/TP: Give us your thoughts about the convention.
JERRY ZERO: The convention is very calm, very orderly, sometimes
too orderly -- sometimes I think too orderly for my blood. This
convention, this time around, is basically to set the groundwork
for the next convention, which I'm certain will involve running
some candidates. Even the people that last time were against
running candidates and thought we had to go slow, after they saw
what happened at the recent election, there are a few places that
we could run a candidate and do quite well.
PT/TP: What was the most controversial point at this convention?
JZ: Basically -- and it's still ongoing if you hear everything
that is going to be added to the wording -- it's to make it easier
to run candidates. I think running candidates is still the main
thing.
PT/TP: How can the Labor Party be built in the future?
JZ: It has to be organization, organization and organization. Like
with the unions you can't stop organizing ... because a certain
amount of people leave every year, no matter what, they're going
to lose interest. We have to make a much bigger effort to get
young people involved. Our local has about 18,000 members, a big,
big percentage are in their 20s -- 25, 26. I would like to see
them get involved. And it's not easy to attract people that young.
If we're going to remain a viable party we have to get young
people involved in a bigger scale.
PT/TP: Do you think the campaigns that are being proposed -- Just
Health Care, the 28th Amendment and others -- can attract new
members into your ranks?
JZ: I would hope so, particularly if we pass living wage
ordinances and health care, among other things, it would help us
to get new members. The campaigns are hard to argue with. Who's
against a livable wage or Just Health Care?
PT/TP: Do you think the founding of the Labor Party was a good
thing for this country?
JZ: Absolutely. There are several other parties -- if they can
ever get together, though I'm not advocating that immediately --
but there are other parties like the New Party, the Green Party
and several other parties, who are a little bit to the left of
center. If they could ever get together, there's a good chance,
like [Ralph] Nader said today, of "a real strong party."
+----------------------------------------------------------------+
JAMES TODD, Service Employees International Union (SEIU), Fresno,
California
PT/TP: How did you become involved in the Labor Party?
JAMES TODD: It was presented to us [SEIU] at our last executive
board meeting, that there was a formation of the Labor Party which
I was unaware of; I thought there was no labor party in the United
States. We [SEIU members] were asked if we wanted to be in
attendance and I decided it would be a good thing to do, basically
for the reasons that labor has no real political voice in this
country. Recently, in our local we just ratified an amendment to
our by-laws to include a political action plan, so politics is on
our minds, a lot more than previously. So it [the Labor Party]
tied in really well for me with priorities.
PT/TP: What did you think of the convention?
JT: I thought it was very enlightening. That is kind of a general
term, but it was. I learned a lot about not only the Labor Party
itself, but the constituents that are going to make the Labor
Party up. I had no contact before with trade unions and Labor
Party chapters. There are just a lot of different groups. I am
just used to service unions because that is basically what we have
out there, out west. And so for me the best part was being exposed
to the broader labor movement; getting a perspective of what that
is and how we can kind of fit that within our area.
PT/TP: What are your thoughts on the Just Health Care campaign
that was adopted by the convention?
JT: It's great. To me it points to the division of work in the
Labor Party, the people that make it up and the fact that they are
the only party that is really listening to working people. Our
international did a very widespread poll in which health care was
polled at the highest level of anybody's concern -- above
education, above anything else the major parties address. No one
[of the two major parties] addresses health care. And the campaign
is a decisive issue, especially for us [SEIU], being in a health
care union. I think it's an issue that can win elections for us.
More importantly than that, the campaign represents the interests
of the people, of the country, of the real people. I mean the
working people, the majority out there. And they are not being
listened to, obviously, because like I said, health care was not
addressed. We can address that; we can listen to that. As a result
we are going to have people come up for the elections, voting.
PT/TP: Any last comments?
JT: Yes, to me the Labor Party means a lot of different things
to a lot of different people and that is what I found out this
weekend. And being here where there are so many different
interpretations and directions that people want this party to go
into; basically I think the best direction our party can go into
is remembering its charter, always keeping in mind that it does
represent the people, it has to represent the majority of working
people. And if it does that, it is going to be the most relevant
party out there. And I think, just like there is so much activity
in the labor movement right now, there is much opportunity, so
much potential, We have to grab onto that. We have to harness it.
+----------------------------------------------------------------+
TIM DOWLIN, Kensington Welfare Rights Union, Philadelphia
PT/TP: What are your thoughts about the Labor Party's First
Constitutional Convention?
TIM DOWLIN: It's been pretty cool. It's been fun. It's been a lot
to absorb. I'm sort of new to politics, so -- well, really not new
to politics -- but the more and more I learn about politics in
general, the less I like them.
I think, about the Labor Party in general, I am especially getting
a real, inside feel for where it [the Labor Party] is at, where
it's going and where it's coming from. It is definitely the right
movement to be supporting the people. It's the first party that I
have ever seen that's organized by the regular workers -- the
workers doing it for themselves. I think that's where any movement
that is going to be effective has to come from -- from the people
that are affected by the issues.
The Democrats and the Republicans do not deal with the issues that
we deal with on a day-to-day basis -- living, struggling, trying
to earn a livable wage. So they [Democrats and Republicans] have
no interest in our issues, because our issues are not their
issues. I'd say over 85 percent of Congress are millionaires, so
it just does not make sense for them; their own issues are taken
care of.
I am very impressed with the organizational fashion, just the way
that the Labor Party goes about their business -- the Robert's
rules and such. They are taking votes as we speak. It's pretty
cool.
PT/TP: Could you tell me about the March of the Americas?
TD: Coming up this October 1999, we [the Kensington Welfare Rights
Union] are going to march for 30 days from Washington, D.C.,
turning our backs on the capital and walking to the United Nations
in New York City. This is definitely the largest march we have
ever done. This is the continuation of the March for Our Lives,
which went from Philadelphia to Harrisburg, our state capital. And
then a year later (in 1997) we marched a continuation March For
Our Lives, from Philadelphia to the U.N. in New York.
This year, 1998, we had the Freedom Bus Tour; we went on a bus
around the country, and had sort of minimarches. We marched in
every town that we went to and took documentation of economic
human rights violations for the United Nations. We ended up at the
U.N. with that. We then marched through New York, where we had a
big eight-mile march on July 1.
So we are sort of building a momentum with our economic human
rights campaign, and this is definitely going to be our biggest
yet. And the biggest thing about this one, other than being the
largest and farthest we have walked: It's the March of the
Americas.
We are including our brothers and sisters from Canada and our
brothers and sisters from Latin America to come and walk with us;
presenting their stories to the United Nations as well, and to
form the early stages of our international strategy. Because
poverty is hitting across all borders, all lines of race and
gender and even across all borders in the United States -- urban,
rural and suburban poverty exist.
+----------------------------------------------------------------+
GALEN TYLER, Kensington Welfare Rights Union, Philadelphia
PT/TP: While you were working on the 28th Amendment Campaign for
the Labor Party during the KWRU Economic Human Rights Campaign Bus
Tour, what was the people's response?
GALEN TYLER: When we were on the bus tour, it was a way of
engaging peoples -- to introduce them to the Labor Party program
and to the idea that a right to a job at a living wage should be
guaranteed. People's response to the campaign itself was very
accepted. They were quick to sign the petitions that we had on the
jobs amendment and they were looking for more information on the
Labor Party so that they could pretty much understand the Labor
Party and learn as much as possible about the 28th Amendment
campaign and see how they can help in the process. We did not have
too many oppositions on our way around the 28th Amendment. And I
just would like to say, as far as the signatures on the petitions,
that's good but people have to follow up. You know what I mean?
When you follow up, people are even more interested in more things
around the Labor Party and how far the campaign is actually going.
PT/TP: Which of the Labor Party campaigns can you relate to the
most?
GT: I would say the Just Health Care campaign, because right now,
myself, I don't have health care. I don't have no type of health
care insurance or anything like that right now. And I know that
the statistics say there's like 43 million people walking around
without health care. And I see that if we have universal health
care, we here in the United States, just as well as they have in
Canada, there will be a way of people being able to seek a lot
more medical attention that they might need, instead of them
having to worry about the cost or medical bills or the overcrowded
emergency rooms. Because people without, like me, myself, when I
have a health problem, I usually go straight to the emergency
room, because I do not have any type of insurance.
PT/TP: What are your thoughts, overall, of the convention?
GT: I think the convention is going pretty well. A lot of issues
are being raised that pretty much need to be heard so that people
have a full understanding of the Labor Party. Not that any
questions or amendments or oppositions to things, to resolutions
that have been recommended by the committee, should be ignored. I
think that people should be encouraged to speak up on their
opinions, so that everybody can get a real clear view on exactly
what the Labor Party program is and how this party as a political
party stands.
******************************************************************
This article originated in the PEOPLE'S TRIBUNE/TRIBUNO DEL PUEBLO
(Online Edition), Vol. 26 No. 1/ January, 1999; P.O. Box 3524,
Chicago, IL 60654; Email:
[email protected];
http://www.mcs.com/~league
Feel free to reproduce and use unless marked as copyrighted. The
PEOPLE'S TRIBUNE/TRIBUNO DEL PUEBLO depends on donations from its
readers.
******************************************************************
TOPIC
01-99 Struggle for economic human rights
******************************************************************
People's Tribune/Tribuno del Pueblo (Online Edition)
Vol. 26 No. 1/ January, 1999
P.O. Box 3524, Chicago, IL 60654
http://www.mcs.com/~league
******************************************************************
5. STRUGGLE FOR ECONOMIC HUMAN RIGHTS, POLITICAL INDEPENDENCE
CONTINUES
By the Greater Philadelphia Area Office of the LRNA
The impeachment process, the defeat of Fast Track legislation
concerning free trade and other developments in the political
arena indicate the intensification of the struggle within
different wings of the capitalist class, represented on the one
hand by the ruling globalists and on the other hand by arising
nationalists around the U.S. home market. We can expect this
struggle will escalate as the worldwide economic contraction
continues to play itself out as currently manifested in the Asian,
Russian, African and Brazilian crises.
Like in other historical periods, each section of the capitalist
class will attempt to win political support from the masses of the
American people. For example, we can see this in the slogans
"unite and fight the right" and "building the third sector global
civil society" of the political center and their "new Center Left
Consensus," representatives of global capital, as well as in the
populist appeals of the political right -- including the
Republican right, the militant right, and the religious right --
representatives of nationalistic capital.
Thus, this global economic crisis and the formidable political
fight emerging out of it were the backdrop for the world's
yearlong commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights in 1998. With worldwide attention
focused on the issue of human rights, both of the two major
sections of the capitalist class moved to define the question of
human rights in their own interests.
Yet beneath their rhetoric, we should be clear that neither
section of capital, both wallowing in extreme wealth, give a damn
about the growing economic insecurity and squalid conditions of
existence of the majority of humanity in the United States and
throughout the world. The economic system which allows the
privileged few to benefit from their private ownership of the
social means of production is at the root of our problems. Both
sections of capital proclaim that their private ownership and
control of the means of all of society's existence must be
protected as "individual human rights" no matter the resulting
toll of growing human misery and death. Thus, only a society
organized around our basic economic human rights defined as the
rights to food, housing, clothing, education, and health care will
resolve our problems.
This means all the more we have to fight for the consciousness,
political independence, unity and organization of the growing new
class of the poor and dispossessed. The struggle for economic
human rights being developed out of the newly organizing sections
of the poor across this country is a reflection of such an effort.
Part of this fight will include defining what economic human
rights means in accordance to the program of the growing new
class. As the year 1999 plays out, with rising unemployment as a
result of increased downsizing and rising numbers of evictions as
a result of welfare cuts, this program will be shaped both by the
needs of the new class and its fight to secure its basic
necessities. Through such struggle, the words economic human
rights must come to mean the right to "an existence worthy of
human dignity." (Article 23, Universal Declaration of Human
Rights)
These rights are addressed in articles 23, 25, and 26 of the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights and can provide an effective
means of uniting and organizing the increasingly impoverished and
insecure sections of the American population. Such unity and
organization will form the basis of a movement that has the
strength to define and dictate the values and human rights around
which our society should be organized.
This is a project to which all serious revolutionaries must lend
political assistance. The task of revolutionaries will be to
clarify the alignment of forces and to ensure, through the
struggle for consciousness, that a program truly independent of
the capitalists as a class, whether they be "moderates,"
"left/progressives" or right-wing, becomes the basis for the unity
and organization of a powerful mass movement to attain human
happiness and human dignity for everyone. Such a program can only
be the program of the new class of the poor and dispossessed.
******************************************************************
This article originated in the PEOPLE'S TRIBUNE/TRIBUNO DEL PUEBLO
(Online Edition), Vol. 26 No. 1/ January, 1999; P.O. Box 3524,
Chicago, IL 60654; Email:
[email protected];
http://www.mcs.com/~league
Feel free to reproduce and use unless marked as copyrighted. The
PEOPLE'S TRIBUNE/TRIBUNO DEL PUEBLO depends on donations from its
readers.
******************************************************************
TOPIC
01-99 How the government will respond to our discontent
******************************************************************
People's Tribune/Tribuno del Pueblo (Online Edition)
Vol. 26 No. 1/ January, 1999
P.O. Box 3524, Chicago, IL 60654
http://www.mcs.com/~league
******************************************************************
6. HOW THE GOVERNMENT WILL RESPOND TO OUR DISCONTENT
By Sista Shiriki
[The writer is co-owner of Kansas City Black Liberation Radio.]
As more and more corporations merge and become the largest
whatever in the world, millions of people will lose their jobs
because of these mergers and many will NEVER find a job comparable
to the one they lost. Technology continues to consume more and
more jobs such as bank tellers, where ATMs and automated phone
lines take their place, and if you need to speak to a hue-mon
teller, your account can be charged as much as $3. What the people
of this kountry fail to understand is that no man/woman is an
island and no man/woman stands alone.
What happens in Afrika, Asia, Japan and other kountries will
sooner or later affect you. An example is when Asian kountries
canceled their contracts with Boeing for airplanes. Boeing in turn
had to lay off employees. As the so-called middle klass begin to
fall from their comfort zones because of downsizing and
outsourcing (use of prison labor), chaos will fill the streets.
When this group of working poor turns to the government for some
type of assistance -- be it general assistance, AFDC, food stamps
or Section 8 vouchers -- they will find very little, if any,
assistance.
This group NEVER thought they would need this assistance, which is
why they voted in favor of welfare reform for the millions across
this kountry who may have maxed-out with unemployment or general
assistance, can't get food stamps because they don't have an
address, or are the mentally ill being released from mental
hospitals because of Medicare cuts.
What do you think is in store for the people when they become
discontent about their conditions and the lack of domestic policy
to address their concerns? Let me tell you what your government
has planned for our discontent. According to sociologist Pete
Kraska, there are 30,000 heavily armed, military-trained police
units in the United States. These tactical units are no longer
used as emergency-response teams. They are becoming a part of
everyday policing.
SWAT teams that would have handled a barricaded suspect now
conduct routine drug raids. A housing project in California had a
first-hand experience with this paramilitary policing. This past
October, some 90 law-enforcement officers raided a housing project
which they had under surveillance. As you would guess, this
project was predominately Black. The police said gang members of
the "Knock Out Posse" lived at this housing project. Therefore,
they planned and executed a raid on this ENTIRE housing project
simply in order "to put fear in the hearts" of this gang?
Stop for one minute and think about that statement. If police say
there are gang members living in your housing project, apartment
complex, trailer park or even on your residential block, does this
alone give police the authority to plan and execute a paramilitary
raid on your residence?
California is not the only state where this has happened. Chicago
and New York have experienced this type of terror as well. This
past summer, the Marine Corps top brass convened in major cities
(first in Chicago) to study the terrain of inner cities in order
to learn how to fight urban wars. Are we so deep in the forest
that we can't see the trees? Are we so consumed with the illusion
of makin' it and gaining material things that we don't care about
the perfecting of the police state in this kountry? What is
happening and what is going to happen in good old Amerika will
make Hilter blush!!
The nationwide database for law-abiding persons who purchase a gun
is anotha way this government is attemptin' to track who owns how
many and what guns.
Think about that. Why would the government need a nationwide
database for the people who obey the law? The criminals are not
going to use this process to purchase their guns, so what is the
purpose? Coupling that with the military learning the terrain of
the inner cities of this kountry should send everyone's red flag
wavin'.
Do y'all remember when the military was in Somalia? Their mission
was to practice disarming of the citizenry. Are you beginning to
see the picture? Wouldn't you say that we are a Populace Under
Siege?
******************************************************************
This article originated in the PEOPLE'S TRIBUNE/TRIBUNO DEL PUEBLO
(Online Edition), Vol. 26 No. 1/ January, 1999; P.O. Box 3524,
Chicago, IL 60654; Email:
[email protected];
http://www.mcs.com/~league
Feel free to reproduce and use unless marked as copyrighted. The
PEOPLE'S TRIBUNE/TRIBUNO DEL PUEBLO depends on donations from its
readers.
******************************************************************
TOPIC
01-99 Guest-worker plan for farm labor
******************************************************************
People's Tribune/Tribuno del Pueblo (Online Edition)
Vol. 26 No. 1/ January, 1999
P.O. Box 3524, Chicago, IL 60654
http://www.mcs.com/~league
******************************************************************
7. GUEST-WORKER PLAN FOR FARM LABOR TO BE RE-INTRODUCED IN
CONGRESS
By Sal Sandoval
An expanded Guest Worker Proposal for farm labor (H-2C) will be
introduced in the 106th Congress, which starts in January 1999.
This measure would greatly expand the existing, limited H-2A Guest
Worker Program. It will likely resemble legislation introduced in
1998 by Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore. -- legislation that was defeated
by the combined efforts of farm workers and their advocates.
Depending on the point of view (agribusiness, organized labor and
others), this measure would either "make life easier" for farmers
by easing real or anticipated labor shortages, or it would
profoundly depress wages and worsen working and living conditions
for farm laborers and their communities on both sides of the
Mexican-U.S. border.
A guest-worker program for U.S. farm labor at the end of the 20th
century is bound to be very different from the Bracero Program
that ended in 1964. With the North American Free Trade Agreement
in full force, the 1996 Welfare Reform law and workfare-to-farm
labor proposals, the situation is vastly different.
The issue merits deeper study. In this first of two articles on
the proposed guest-worker program, the "grower point of view" will
be presented.
Growers argue that with current and anticipated INS crackdowns on
undocumented farm labor, they fear labor shortages and crop loss.
Growers further state that the increasingly enforced employer-
sanctions provisions of the Immigration Reform and Control Act
(IRCA) of 1986 unfairly penalizes them (though they are not
required to prove that the documents submitted to them as proof of
eligibility to work are in fact authentic). Thus, they claim they
need a ready supply of "legal" workers not otherwise available.
Furthermore, with the recent devastation caused by Hurricane Mitch
in Central America, even more illegal immigration to the United
States is anticipated.
Some grower-related think tanks and independents such as Don
Villarejo from the California Institute of Rural Studies point out
that there is in fact some evidence of a labor shortage with
smaller crews this year and vacancies in migrant-center housing.
They point out that many of the farm laborers legalized under the
Seasonal Agricultural Worker provisions of IRCA have left farm
labor, being replaced by very recent immigrants who are more
likely to be undocumented -- 40 to 50 percent of them in some
samplings.
Often these potential workers come with very convincing (false)
documents. This points out another consequence of IRCA -- a
lucrative black market in false documents and forgery. In one
instance, a director in a state department of motor vehicles was
implicated in the sale of fraudulent drivers licenses. And cases
of INS officials selling green cards have periodically surfaced in
the media.
Yet in December 1997 the Government Accounting Office stated that
there is "no national agricultural labor shortage." Also, a July
1998 report by the California Rural Legal Assistance Foundation
showed that, in just the 18 major crop-producing counties studied,
a quarter million legal U.S. workers were looking for work. And
furthermore, in 1998 a USDA Small Farm Commission urged the repeal
of the H-2A program (the existing, limited guest-worker program),
let alone expanding any such program.
So what is the situation? In the next issue, farm workers and
their advocates will critique the proposals. And we will delve
further into what some call a "slave labor" proposal means in an
era of globalization and the end of welfare.
******************************************************************
This article originated in the PEOPLE'S TRIBUNE/TRIBUNO DEL PUEBLO
(Online Edition), Vol. 26 No. 1/ January, 1999; P.O. Box 3524,
Chicago, IL 60654; Email:
[email protected];
http://www.mcs.com/~league
Feel free to reproduce and use unless marked as copyrighted. The
PEOPLE'S TRIBUNE/TRIBUNO DEL PUEBLO depends on donations from its
readers.
******************************************************************
TOPIC
01-99 "180" -- a new student movement
******************************************************************
People's Tribune/Tribuno del Pueblo (Online Edition)
Vol. 26 No. 1/ January, 1999
P.O. Box 3524, Chicago, IL 60654
http://www.mcs.com/~league
******************************************************************
8. "180" -- A NEW STUDENT MOVEMENT TO TURN THINGS AROUND
Campus Democracy Convention vows to reach out to all youth
activists
By Richard Ducatenzeiler
MADISON, Wisconsin -- After many months of heavy organizing and
coordinating, the Campus Democracy Convention took place on
November 5-9 on the University of Wisconsin campus here. Students
from all regions of the United States and from Canada and Puerto
Rico attended the convention, whose purpose was to form a new
national student organization and to plan teach-ins on the role of
corporations. The convention was a continuation of the Democracy
Teach-In which has taken place on college campuses for the last
two years.
The convention took place not long after a federal court barred
the University of Wisconsin from using student fees to fund
"ideological" or "political" organizations. The convention
recognized the important role that campus groups play in society
as a whole and set out to protect student activism by creating a
national student organization. After all, "the students have
always been the spark to ignite the fire," as one student
representing the University of Puerto Rico put it during a
convention discussion.
For five days, students and teachers took part in workshops
dealing with such issues as the role corporations play in
education and the importance of student movements throughout
history. Students took direct action in the form of caucuses and
break-out sessions where the image of a national student
organization began to emerge.
Jerome Chavez, a Democracy Teach-In Council member from the
University of New Mexico, said: "Things have been a little hectic,
but the movement is really positive. We've done some really
constructive things through our discussion and break-out sessions.
We need some type of organization to deal with issues on a
national scale. All together, we could be a powerful force."
From these sessions, a plan of action began to take form around
what became the convention's unifying theme: democracy and
education.
The plan of the new organization consists of the following:
* to coordinate direct actions by the organization itself;
* to plan a third wave of Democracy Teach-Ins on March 23-April
6, 1999;
* to produce an internal paper or web bulletin;
* to hold another Campus Democracy Convention in 1999.
The convention felt that it was extremely important to reach out
to those youth not represented by four-year universities and those
not attending school at all.
The name of the new student organization was decided on the
convention's final day. The students wanted something both clear
and "curious sounding." They came up with "180 Movement for
Democracy and Education." Ben Manski, one of the convention's
organizers, said the number 180 means "we're going to turn things
around."
The need for a new student organization is a sign that capitalism
is affecting a student's ability to organize in a way that
threatens the status quo. Just as millions of youth have already
been affected through the criminalization of young people, now we
are beginning to see a new group being affected by the disease
called capitalism.
In many of the revolutions that have taken place throughout the
world, it has been the students and youth who have been
responsible for leading. What better way to prevent this than by
attacking their organizations and movements? Preventing students
from forming organizations is not only an attack on students, but
on our intelligence and ability to envision a new America.
The League of Revolutionaries for a New America welcomes the
formation of the 180 Movement for Democracy and Education. We
encourage readers of the People's Tribune/Tribuno del Pueblo to
participate in the next round of the Democracy Teach-In on March
23-April 6, 1999.
For more information about the Democracy Teach-In this spring, or
to contact 180 Movement for Democracy and Education, write to 180
Movement for Democracy and Education Clearinghouse, 731 State
Street, Madison, Wisconsin 53703, or phone 608-262-9036.
******************************************************************
This article originated in the PEOPLE'S TRIBUNE/TRIBUNO DEL PUEBLO
(Online Edition), Vol. 26 No. 1/ January, 1999; P.O. Box 3524,
Chicago, IL 60654; Email:
[email protected];
http://www.mcs.com/~league
Feel free to reproduce and use unless marked as copyrighted. The
PEOPLE'S TRIBUNE/TRIBUNO DEL PUEBLO depends on donations from its
readers.
******************************************************************
TOPIC
01-99 Spirit of the Revolution
******************************************************************
People's Tribune/Tribuno del Pueblo (Online Edition)
Vol. 26 No. 1/ January, 1999
P.O. Box 3524, Chicago, IL 60654
http://www.mcs.com/~league
******************************************************************
9. SPIRIT OF THE REVOLUTION
By Sandy Perry
The Spirit of the Revolution column recently began circulating a
proposed mission statement to various readers and contributors. In
this and the upcoming issues, we will be printing some of the
responses we have received. If you have something to say about it,
please send it to us at: Boxholder, P.O. Box 2166, San Jose,
California 95109. E-mail may be sent to:
[email protected]
+----------------------------------------------------------------+
Reader asks:
HOW TO APPEAL TO HIGHER PRINCIPLES? ...
By Jonathan B. Krogh
Thank you for your mission statement for "Spirit of the
Revolution." I commend your work. Just a few personal caveats.
There is a tension between affirming every true religion as
defending justice; the difficulty is that every true religion also
defines justice. How do we appeal to higher principles of justice
which transcend religious difference without implying the
superiority of one religion over another?
We cannot. I would merely suggest we define according to our own
lights, suggesting that a "Christian" view of justice is my view
which speaks to what I perceive to be injustice found in other
systems, e.g. fundamentalism, capitalism, communism, etc.
I have an additional concern over aggressive criticism of
capitalism, not because I do not feel there are injustices in the
system, but, as a Protestant, I affirm the injustice implicit in
every human order. We are, after all, constantly in a state of
sin. So our job is not to seek perfectibility (I break with those
who preach a sanctification model), it is merely to seek better
ways, without living under the tyranny of a utopian vision.
Finally, I'm not sure to whom you are speaking. The rhetoric would
certainly steer those in power away from your message. Is the
document intended for the choir? If so, that's a good thing.
Certainly the choir needs practice. But we must also develop ways
to be heard for the sake of transformation.
Jonathan B. Krogh is the former deputy director of Protestants for
the Common Good.
+----------------------------------------------------------------+
.. OFFER HOPE, ENERGY AND INSPIRATION!
by Sandy Perry
It is undeniable that there is a very real (and sometimes bloody)
conflict between peoples of the various religious denominations in
the world.
However, these conflicts generally violate rather than reflect the
spirit of the religions involved. The underlying contradiction is
common to all of them. It is between their moral teachings and the
corruption of years (and even centuries) of collaboration and
compromise with the "powers and principalities" of the world.
Americans have seen this happen in Christianity, but it has also
taken place in Islam, for example. In "A History of God," Karen
Armstrong writes: "The early moral message of the Koran is simple:
it is wrong to stockpile wealth and to build a private fortune,
and good to share the wealth of society fairly by giving a regular
proportion of one's wealth to the poor. Alms giving accompanied by
prayer represented two of the five essential 'pillars' or
practices of Islam. Like the Hebrew prophets, Muhammad preached an
ethic that we might call socialist as a consequence of the worship
of the one God."
Mahatma Gandhi, a Hindu, always emphasized the essential
similarity of the social teachings of the great religions. From
"Yeravda Mandir": "I became sufficiently familiar for my purpose
with Christianity, Islam, Zoroastrianism, Judaism, and Hinduism.
.. I read each sacred book in a spirit of reverence, and found
the same fundamental morality in each."
Gandhi himself fell to an assassin's bullet rather than permit
Hindu suppression of Muslims in India.
Likewise, "aggressive criticism of capitalism" -- or any unjust
social order -- is intrinsic to all the major religions. The
Hebrew Bible consistently condemns oppression not only by Pharaoh
and by Babylon, but by the Israelite ruling class itself. "Your
hands are covered with blood," wrote Isaiah, "wash, make
yourselves clean. Take your wrongdoings out of my sight. Cease to
do evil. Learn to do good, search for justice, help the oppressed,
be just to the orphan, plead for the widow."
Injustice may be implicit in every human order, but this does not
negate the fact that some social orders are more just than others.
Few would deny that wage labor was an advance over slavery.
Furthermore, socio-economic systems that are effective under some
conditions may become unjust when conditions change. For decades,
most Americans believed the capitalist economic system was fair
enough. Now, automation, globalization and worldwide instability
are causing many to question it. We too should re-examine the
market system. Does modern technology allow us to replace it? Is
it finally possible to build an economy based on compassion and
cooperation instead of naked self-interest?
The various religions diverge on the question of original sin. My
own Protestant religious tradition -- Quakerism -- argues that if
we were unable to become perfect, Jesus would never have directed
us to do so. Whatever one may think on the question, it is
undeniable that the more extreme concepts of human depravity and
selfishness have been used for centuries by tyrants and exploiters
to paralyze resistance to their rule. As long as people were
hammered with the idea of their unworthiness, and the futility of
reorganizing society, they remained despondent and passive. People
of faith have a responsibility to do the opposite: offer hope,
energy and inspiration.
God does not will human suffering. When the innocent are abused,
they are not being "tested" by God. It is we who strive for
spirituality who are being tested: will we stand by and allow it
to happen, or will we intervene? A utopian vision will not help
anyone. What is needed is a realistic vision, based equally on
high moral principles and on a scientific estimate of what is
practically possible.
Audience is an important question. Jesus addressed all elements of
society, but particularly the poor. If we follow his example, this
is not preaching to the choir, because America's poor -- like the
majority of Americans -- hold widely divergent and even
conservative opinions. If we can unite the American people around
a vision of social justice, then no ruling class on earth can
withstand the power of the movement that will follow.
******************************************************************
This article originated in the PEOPLE'S TRIBUNE/TRIBUNO DEL PUEBLO
(Online Edition), Vol. 26 No. 1/ January, 1999; P.O. Box 3524,
Chicago, IL 60654; Email:
[email protected];
http://www.mcs.com/~league
Feel free to reproduce and use unless marked as copyrighted. The
PEOPLE'S TRIBUNE/TRIBUNO DEL PUEBLO depends on donations from its
readers.
******************************************************************
TOPIC
01-99 Liberation Radio broadcaster sentenced; supporters vow to
******************************************************************
People's Tribune/Tribuno del Pueblo (Online Edition)
Vol. 26 No. 1/ January, 1999
P.O. Box 3524, Chicago, IL 60654
http://www.mcs.com/~league
******************************************************************
10. LIBERATION RADIO BROADCASTER SENTENCED; SUPPORTERS VOW TO
FIGHT ON
By Chris Mahin
In the latest round of a long battle with local and state
authorities, Napoleon Williams, the co-founder of Black Liberation
Radio in Decatur, Illinois, received probation for two counts of
felony eavesdropping late last year.
On December 17, Macon County Associate Judge Scott Diamond
sentenced Williams to 30 months probation, 120 hours of community
service, and a fine of $2,000. The sentence also stipulates that
Williams cannot operate Black Liberation Radio.
Authorities in central Illinois have waged a relentless campaign
against Black Liberation Radio, the micro-power radio station
founded in 1990 by Williams and his wife Mildred Jones. Local
police and state officials have raided their home several times.
An Illinois state agency took custody of the couple's older
daughter, Unique Dream, in 1992, and of their younger daughter,
Atrue Dream, in 1994.
For eight years, Black Liberation Radio has exposed police
brutality, official misconduct, and government attacks on the
African American community in central Illinois, an area dominated
by giant corporations like Archer Daniels Midland, Caterpillar
Tractor Co., Firestone, and Staley Manufacturing Co.
The station's programming has brought together mostly white
workers from the area's major employers with unemployed and low-
income people -- both black and white.
Williams' eavesdropping conviction stems from an incident in 1996
when he placed a phone call to a worker with the Illinois
Department of Children and Family Services while broadcasting
live. When Williams demanded to know why his children had not been
returned to their parents, the social-service worker admitted on
the air that the case did not have merit.
As a result of this conversation, Williams was indicted. He was
charged with violating an extremely dubious Illinois statute
against "felony eavesdropping." This law is so overbroad that
prosecutors admit that it could even apply to a parent who
accidentally records a private conversation while videotaping
their child's Little League baseball game.
The years of official harassment against Black Liberation Radio
have provoked outrage around the country. Williams' attorney,
Scott Ealey, told the People's Tribune that he plans to appeal the
conviction and challenge the constitutionality of the Illinois
eavesdropping statute. Supporters of Black Liberation Radio vow
that the station will continue to stay on the air.
We urge our readers to speak out against the harassment of Black
Liberation Radio. Donations for Black Liberation Radio and
messages of support for Napoleon Williams can be sent to: Mildred
Jones, 629 E. Center Street, Decatur, Illinois 62526. For more
information, call Black Liberation Radio at 217-423-9997.
Mildred Jones and other speakers familiar with the issues in this
case are available for speaking engagements through the People's
Tribune Speakers Bureau. For more information, e-mail the Speakers
Bureau at
[email protected], call 773-486-3551, or visit the web
site at
http://www.mcs.net/~speakers
******************************************************************
This article originated in the PEOPLE'S TRIBUNE/TRIBUNO DEL PUEBLO
(Online Edition), Vol. 26 No. 1/ January, 1999; P.O. Box 3524,
Chicago, IL 60654; Email:
[email protected];
http://www.mcs.com/~league
Feel free to reproduce and use unless marked as copyrighted. The
PEOPLE'S TRIBUNE/TRIBUNO DEL PUEBLO depends on donations from its
readers.
******************************************************************
TOPIC
01-99 Speakers For A New America
******************************************************************
People's Tribune/Tribuno del Pueblo (Online Edition)
Vol. 26 No. 1/ January, 1999
P.O. Box 3524, Chicago, IL 60654
http://www.mcs.com/~league
******************************************************************
11. SPEAKERS FOR A NEW AMERICA
AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY MONTH SPEAKING TOUR, 1999
Nelson Peery tours California in February and March 1999.
"Today, poverty, the equalizer, is breaking racial unity and
making class unity possible. The fight for political unity where
there is economic equality is the revolutionary, monumental task
of 1999."
-- Nelson Peery
Nelson Peery will be speaking in California on the following dates
February 20-21: Inland Empire
February 22-27: Los Angeles
February 28-March 11: San Francisco; Oakland; Merced; Nevada City
Audiotapes of Nelson Peery's speeches are available. Send $5 to
the address below.
For speaking locations or to book speakers call 773-486-3551. E-
mail
[email protected] or write to PT/TP, Box 3524, Chicago,
Illinois 60654.
Women's History Month in March is just around the corner! Call
today to book one of our outstanding women speakers.
Speakers for a New America travel the country, much like the anti-
slavery fighters of yesteryear. They talk about the possibility of
building a new, cooperative America and world.
+----------------------------------------------------------------+
LEAGUE PRODUCES MONTHLY RADIO PROGRAM!
People's Tribune Radio debuts in February 1999. The theme of the
first show is African American History.
People's Tribune Radio is a new monthly radio program produced by
the League's Radio Committee. Each program will provide the
League's analysis of current and historical events, news, features
and commentaries in a 30-minute format. If this type of radio show
is what you'd like to hear, contact your "Community" Radio Station
and let them know about People's Tribune Radio.
Promotional Packets Available:
Call 800-691-6888, 773-486-3551 or email
[email protected] or
[email protected].
-- From the League Radio Committee
+----------------------------------------------------------------+
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This article originated in the PEOPLE'S TRIBUNE/TRIBUNO DEL PUEBLO
(Online Edition), Vol. 26 No. 1/ January, 1999; P.O. Box 3524,
Chicago, IL 60654; Email:
[email protected];
http://www.mcs.com/~league
Feel free to reproduce and use unless marked as copyrighted. The
PEOPLE'S TRIBUNE/TRIBUNO DEL PUEBLO depends on donations from its
readers.
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