People's Tribune/Tribuno del Pueblo (01-01) Online Edition .TOPIC 01-01 PT Index .TEXT .BODY ****************************************************************** People's Tribune/Tribuno del Pueblo (Online Edition) Vol. 28 No. 1/ January, 2001 P.O. Box 3524, Chicago, IL 60654 http://www.lrna.org ****************************************************************** +----------------------------------------------------------------+ The PEOPLE'S TRIBUNE/TRIBUNO DEL PUEBLO is available on the World Wide Web at http://www.lrna.org +----------------------------------------------------------------+ INDEX to the PEOPLE'S TRIBUNE/TRIBUNO DEL PUEBLO (Online Edition) Vol. 28 No. 1/ January, 2001 Editorial 1. LESSON OF THE ELECTIONS: WILL THE CORPORATIONS OR THE PEOPLE RUN AMERICA News and Features 2. ELECTION SHOWS THE PEOPLE NEED THEIR OWN VOICE 3. WORLD SUMMIT TO END POVERTY 4. UPDATES FROM THE ROAD - FREEDOM BUS TOUR 2000 5. BOOK REVIEW: 'FUTURE HOPE' -- THE CHALLENGE OF OUR TIMES 6. AN INTERVIEW WITH TONY MAZZOCCHI OF THE LABOR PARTY 7. BALTIMORE HONORS JOHN BROWN, CONFRONTS THE FUTURE 8. GLOBALIZATION: HOW IT AFFECTS NEW ORLEANS - INTERVIEW WITH TED QUANT 9. HEY DREAMER! WAKE UP AND JUSTIFY YOUR TRUTH Spirit of the Revolution 10. AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHINE From the League 11. DRAFT PROGRAM OF THE LEAGUE OF REVOLUTIONARIES FOR A NEW AMERICA Announcements, Events, etc. 12. SPEAKERS FOR A NEW AMERICA [To subscribe to the online edition, send a message to pt- dist@noc.org with "Subscribe" in the subject line.] ****************************************************************** We encourage reproduction and use of all articles except those copyrighted. Please credit the PEOPLE'S TRIBUNE/TRIBUNO DEL PUEBLO. The PEOPLE'S TRIBUNE/TRIBUNO DEL PUEBLO depends on donations from its readers -- your generosity is appreciated. For free electronic subscription, send a message to pt-dist@noc.org with "Subscribe" in the subject line. For electronic subscription problems, e-mail pt-admin@noc.org. ****************************************************************** .TOPIC 01-01 Edit: Lesson of the elections .TEXT ****************************************************************** People's Tribune/Tribuno del Pueblo (Online Edition) Vol. 28 No. 1/ January, 2001 P.O. Box 3524, Chicago, IL 60654 http://www.lrna.org .BODY ****************************************************************** 1. EDITORIAL: LESSON OF THE ELECTIONS: WILL THE CORPORATIONS OR THE PEOPLE RUN AMERICA The charade is over and the players have taken off their masks. President-elect Bush and Vice President Gore have shaken hands. Hillary Clinton, perhaps the best known and most respected new member of the Senate, has already accepted what amounts to an $8 million bribe (in the form of a book contract). That handshake and bribe-taking should make all of us wonder: In whose interests are they going to cooperate? Since they are going to cooperate, who is going to defend the interests of my family? You get the message. Together and united they are going to sock it to you in the name of patriotism and bipartisanship. The struggle between the two parties was a real thing. From Supreme Court justices to Jesse Jackson, they came out fighting. But what were they fighting over? Bet your bottom dollar (if you have one) they weren't fighting over your well-being. The fight was over who was going to handle billions of dollars of patronage, who was going to get their hands on the billions of dollars of entitlements, and most of all, who was going to get paid to protect the arms industry and the rest of the gang that relies on Washington to keep sucking the money out of your pockets and into theirs. The most positive thing about the election is that a large number of Americans were kicked awake as to the meaning of the electoral process. The election, along with the developing downturn in the economy, is awakening the people from their political slumber. The illusion of a government of, by and for the people fades before the reality of corporate control of not only the government, but our very lives. The choice is becoming clear and it is not between candidates. The choice is either the people take over the corporations and run them in their interests, or as this election shows, the corporations will gain complete control of the people and run them in their interests. This is your country. You built it. In the past you were not afraid of lynch mobs nor mechanized armies when its future was threatened. Are you, today, afraid to stand up to the corporations, their lying media or the uniformed goons they control? We're not and we don't believe you are either. It's time we get together. .FOOTER ****************************************************************** This article originated in the PEOPLE'S TRIBUNE/TRIBUNO DEL PUEBLO (Online Edition), Vol. 28 No. 1/ January, 2001; P.O. Box 3524, Chicago, IL 60654; Email: pt@noc.org; http://www.lrna.org Feel free to reproduce and use unless marked as copyrighted. The PEOPLE'S TRIBUNE/TRIBUNO DEL PUEBLO depends on donations from its readers. ****************************************************************** .TOPIC 01-01 Election shows the people need their own voice .TEXT ****************************************************************** People's Tribune/Tribuno del Pueblo (Online Edition) Vol. 28 No. 1/ January, 2001 P.O. Box 3524, Chicago, IL 60654 http://www.lrna.org .BODY ****************************************************************** 2. ELECTION SHOWS THE PEOPLE NEED THEIR OWN VOICE THE ELECTION RESULTS ARE IN: CORPORATE AMERICA HAS WON AGAIN! Corporate America will benefit because Bush will not alter the leading equation of the economic system in America that guarantees profits and wealth for them at the expense of the people of the world. Bush or Gore would continue the process of allowing the market to drive not just business, but issues such as education and health care. They both would continue to allow the market to "solve" the problems of the poor and underemployed. And now Bush and corporate America will determine our economic and political future. This election occurred at a time when most of the media hails the economic growth and prosperity of the times. But, many economists have started to admit that the economy is headed for or is in a slowdown. They are now starting to mention the r-word (recession). In fact, poverty is already widespread. Some 7.3 million families live in poverty; close to 33 million people were in poverty in 1997. Twenty-four percent of all women are in poverty, according to the Census Bureau. The federal poverty level for a family of four is $16,700. More families than ever have more than one person working, and in many cases people hold more than one job. We would have to factor more into those figures to see how America is living. There are millions more living just above the poverty level. Under these conditions, even a mild recession will increase those in poverty through lay-offs. Disposable income continues to decline. Some of this decline can be attributed to the rise in the price of oil (which affects all commodities), natural gas and the increase in the interest rates (most spending is done on credit). We are in a recession; the only question that remains is how much deeper it will be. There is danger. A shrinking world market, recession and increase in global competition can lead to serious economic crisis. Under these conditions the corporations will do everything necessary to maintain control. Discontent will increase dramatically amongst the poor and working poor. Many people only have the media to explain their plight and point to the causes. It is under these kinds of conditions that the capitalists attempt to manipulate people to accomplish their goals of preventing the people from uniting and organizing in their own class interests. These simultaneous conditions and manipulations can lead to a political crisis. There are some forces in this country that attempted a coup to remove Clinton from office. And who knows what really happened in Florida. Inevitably, over time a movement will emerge and consolidate against the poverty and the system that perpetuates it. Then the issue of control will emerge as a struggle for power. As revolutionaries, we have a vision of a cooperative society, a society based on the needs of the poor and working people, not one based on greed to maintain class privilege. This new year can be a year of hope. Hope can only be built on understanding what we want and how we want to live. Change is achieved through actions. These actions must be in our self-interests and independent of the capitalists. We cannot have an independent political movement without a system of independent information. This system of independent information and the movement for political independence is dependent upon revolutionaries gathered and organized to work together toward common goals. We need to build the League of Revolutionaries for a New America to help bring together that system of information and education, a network that can distribute the independent information of our class policy and politics through the radio, Internet, television, the various presses, music, poetry and good God Almighty through every means at our disposal to win the hearts and minds of the American people to fight in their own interests. .FOOTER ****************************************************************** This article originated in the PEOPLE'S TRIBUNE/TRIBUNO DEL PUEBLO (Online Edition), Vol. 28 No. 1/ January, 2001; P.O. Box 3524, Chicago, IL 60654; Email: pt@noc.org; http://www.lrna.org Feel free to reproduce and use unless marked as copyrighted. The PEOPLE'S TRIBUNE/TRIBUNO DEL PUEBLO depends on donations from its readers. ****************************************************************** .TOPIC 01-01 World Summit to End Poverty .TEXT ****************************************************************** People's Tribune/Tribuno del Pueblo (Online Edition) Vol. 28 No. 1/ January, 2001 P.O. Box 3524, Chicago, IL 60654 http://www.lrna.org .BODY ****************************************************************** 3. WORLD SUMMIT TO END POVERTY by Sheilah Olaniran New York -- For millions of poor people around the world struggling for shelter, food, water, health care, education and, in some cases, physical safety, it is nearly impossible to come together to discuss why these struggles are occurring. However, this is precisely what happened in New York City, at the World Summit to End Poverty, November 15-19, 2000. From most states in the U.S. and over 40 countries, poor people came to share what is happening to them economically and how they are organizing politically and responding to the growing divide between the extremely wealthy and the extremely poor. Through workshops, rousing plenary sessions, art, culture, music and religion, the strength and beauty of working and poor people rose above the din of blaring car horns and the frenetic pace of Manhattan. What also shone through was the indomitable strength, creativity and talent of the dispossessed to organize for their survival and ultimately triumph in the face of the epochal political and economic restructuring of the world. What was most illuminating, yet also distressing, were the descriptions of extreme poverty amid glowing reports of wealth and prosperity around the world. The extreme poverty we are witnessing in the United States is virtually the same in Japan, which looks a great deal like the poverty in Great Britain, and what is beginning to develop in New Zealand -- all countries viewed as prosperous and economically stable. The demand for housing in these "developed" countries today is at the root, the same demand for housing in Brazil or India or the Philippines. Indeed, poverty today results in homelessness, illness, and too often, death for millions of people across the world. Descriptions of forced evictions, soaring unemployment and dispossession, of the fight for health care and education all identify the globalization of capitalism as a globalization of misery. Soraia Soriano, national secretary of the MST (Movimento dos Trabalhadores Rurais Sem Terra) from Sao Paulo, Brazil, spoke movingly about the landless peasant movement and their work to create "safe" areas for people being removed from their land by the new "open market" global economic order. "We have no market for our products. Land is NOT a market, we know this is OUR land and it is not a market," she declared. The land is to provide rice and beans for the people. She described the landless peasant movement as a movement to organize territories where people are free to organize and lead themselves. "The situation is not easy," said Soriano, "this year ten people were killed and many were imprisoned." The landless peasant movement has 200 million families that have land as a result of their activities. There are 400 cooperative farms starting small industries of meat, milk, fruits and juice. "But, life is more than food, we need other things from life; education, health, gender understanding, cultural expression and political education." Bill Kane, president of the New Jersey Industrial Union Council, and national co-chair of the Labor Party addressed the summit. As president of the IUC, he leads 40 union locals numbering 300,000 members. He described a nation of people not quite prepared to think about the realities of their lives. He portrayed us as a media junked out culture that devotes its energy to the vicious, rugged individualism purveyed on the "Survivor" show. The show captured the collective attention of the country in a way that nothing else could. According to Kane, "the American people are put to sleep so we won't hit the street, so we don't come together across the world. We're kept separate by giving folks who have a job the impression that they can become the next millionaire. Unless we put together a political movement that puts together working people and poor people, we're doomed. And right now that [political movement] happens to be the Labor Party." Musa Madonsela is chief executive officer of the National Institute for Public Interest Law and Research (NIPILAR), a South African organization that provides legal assistance for individuals and organizations that have been adversely affected by apartheid laws, policies and practices. Madonsela said he stumbled upon the World Summit to End Poverty on the Internet. He described the harsh economic reality of the global economy with its demand for open markets and the growth of absolute poverty in South Africa. While there is a new democracy in South Africa, according to Madonsela: "There are very skewed economics, people are extremely poor or extremely rich. This summit represents the beginning of a process. No one thought apartheid could be defeated without amassing an army. I hope this process is intensified and taken seriously by the organizations and individuals. It would have an effect." Fifteen-year old Tracy Edwards, from Detroit, grew up among activism. "I was raised to help people and be a part of the movement," Tracy said. "Kids can have their voices heard through adults, they can go to where the poor are to help and make their contributions. It has been exciting being here." Alastair Russell, from the Auckland Peoples Center, New Zealand, reflected on the deteriorating economic conditions in New Zealand. "In 1984, with the introduction of privatization of state assets, the deregulation of the labor market and imports, along with the weakening of the trade unions, we have seen the lowering of benefits in many social services formerly provided by the government." As Russell described the destruction of social services in New Zealand, I could not help comparing it to the elimination of welfare in the United States. "People are falling into the cracks without health care, people needing to see a surgeon can be put on long waiting lists, while private-pay patients are seen immediately." Russell said that coming to the summit was a "reality check." "We are not getting shot or arrested but there is a re-emerging social movement in New Zealand." Manuel Aguilar, from Oesugo, Chiapas, Mexico, spoke during a plenary session of the Summit. "NAFTA [North American Free Trade Agreement] means our production and crops are affected, and our ability to sell them on the market. And those of us who were once poor are passing into extreme poverty." He described the connection between the work in Chiapas and the church. "The Gospel shines a light on our paths. Our church is a church that is alive and not a church that is dead. The government wants to separate the church from the struggle, many conservative churches have capitulated to the government's pressure. The world and all of us join together to break the chains that block our paths, so that we can struggle together." From Japan, Yuasa Makoto asked the summit participants to voice their outrage against the Japanese government as they evict the homeless and destroy parks in Japanese cities. A representative from the Dominican Republic asked that letters be sent to the government to prevent the shanty towns scattered around the country from being torn down. Cheri Honkala, well-known, fiery organizer and director of the Kensington Welfare Rights Union and national spokesperson for the Poor People's Economic Human Rights Campaign, was in large part responsible for pulling the World Summit to End Poverty together, along with numerous other organizations and individuals. She addressed the summit in the final plenary session. She acknowledged the difficulties and hardships poor people had organizing to come together to share their experiences and to gain strength from one another. She asked that summit participants agree to come together next year, but not in one particular place. "We will have three days of actions. The first day we will have 'reality tours' on the Internet showing the faces and conditions of poverty from around the world. On the second day we will have 'reality tours' showing the faces of extreme wealth. On the third day, we will coordinate mass mobilizations and actions throughout the world." Martin Longoria, from Continental Cry of the Excluded, Brazil, captured the spirit of the summit, "I'm sure our hearts are starting to beat together ... the end of poverty is the responsibility of all peoples of the earth." .FOOTER ****************************************************************** This article originated in the PEOPLE'S TRIBUNE/TRIBUNO DEL PUEBLO (Online Edition), Vol. 28 No. 1/ January, 2001; P.O. Box 3524, Chicago, IL 60654; Email: pt@noc.org; http://www.lrna.org Feel free to reproduce and use unless marked as copyrighted. The PEOPLE'S TRIBUNE/TRIBUNO DEL PUEBLO depends on donations from its readers. ****************************************************************** .TOPIC 01-01 Updates from the road .TEXT ****************************************************************** People's Tribune/Tribuno del Pueblo (Online Edition) Vol. 28 No. 1/ January, 2001 P.O. Box 3524, Chicago, IL 60654 http://www.lrna.org .BODY ****************************************************************** 4. UPDATES FROM THE ROAD - FREEDOM BUS TOUR 2000 [Editor's note: The following is a summation of the first week of the Freedom Bus Tour. For a more detailed and complete version of the daily journal log onto WEAP's Web site at http://www.weap.org/bustour/] Economic human rights was the focus as the Freedom Bus Tour began in Oakland on Wednesday, November 8. The bus tour traveled toward the northern border of California, then to the southern part of the state, and back to Oakland by November 23, 2000. The statewide Freedom Bus Tour emphasized the health crisis in the state and taught people that there can and should be a national health-care system indifferent to profit, that guarantees coverage for all U.S. residents from birth to death. DAY 1: While the whole country awaited the results of our presidential election, the Poor People's Economic Human Rights Campaign Bus Tour started out strong! They met at 8:30 a.m. at the Women's Economic Agenda Project (WEAP) office in Oakland, Calif. Their first destination: Sacramento! It took a couple of hours to get there. But the time in transit was well spent. They began by watching a video entitled "Poverty Outlaw," about a group of poor and homeless women in Kensington, Pa. who organized themselves to fight against the injustices of homelessness and poverty. After this inspirational video, they discussed the reasons why they were on the bus, and the importance of building a movement with poor people at the core. This bus tour is an effort to create and build ties with people all over the state who are working for the same vision, and to educate those who do not know about this growing movement. One of the most significant events of the day happened when the mike was passed around. People on the bus shared their experiences in the form of testimonials. One man spoke of his current homelessness and sleeping under bridges. Others discussed their commitment to this movement stemming from the day-to-day struggle to house, feed, and clothe their children, sometimes unsuccessfully. A disabled woman mentioned her desire to live independently. One 9-year-old child talked about being homeless and sleeping in a truck. He told his mom, "If you don't get on that bus, I will!" These testimonials represented the voices and stories of the poor and homeless people who are being ignored and silenced in this country. In Sacramento their voices were heard, as they got off the bus singing! Despite being a high-tech employer and the state capitol, Sacramento cannot find enough decent housing and living-wage jobs for its poor. Various speakers participated in an educational teach-in at Sacramento State with a community organizing class in the Department of Social Work. The teach-in was led by bus riders Ethel Long-Scott, executive director of WEAP; Blanche Mackey, social justice organizer and a recovering addict, mother of five and community activist; and Andre Dawkins, Labor Party organizer and co-chair of Oakland's branch of the Poor People's Economic Human Rights Campaign. These leaders discussed building a nationwide movement to eliminate poverty. DAY 2: On the second day, the bus drove to Loaves and Fishes, where we spent the morning and early afternoon with poor and homeless people of Sacramento. Loaves and Fishes is a private- sector organization that supplies 600 to 1,000 meals daily and provides services such as showers and emergency housing to over 2,000 guests monthly. The large community of low-income Sacramento residents joined forces with the Freedom Riders for a presentation and open mike in Freedom Park, where literally hundreds of homeless gather daily. Many shared how they live in horrible conditions -- last year in Sacramento six people froze to death on the streets -- while the richest and most powerful country in the world violates basic economic human rights. At the presentation, Ethel Long-Scott introduced the Freedom Bus and reported on the goals of spotlighting poverty, teaching about economic human rights, documenting violations of these rights, and organizing a movement to eliminate poverty. She communicated the need for poor people to be the architects of the new movement that works to eliminate poverty. "What the rich have, we should have. What the children of the rich have, our children should have," Ethel said. Freedom Riders educated others at the park about the Labor Party. A rape survivor spoke of the need to unite saying, "They don't want us to unite -- we gotta stop the bull and show them that we are human too." A local artist showcased his talent with a rap about poverty. One Freedom Bus rider reminded the people this stop is just the beginning. He encouraged everyone to organize within their community, so that upon their return, they can march together to the state capitol and take back our country. Freedom Riders conversed with members of the Loaves and Fishes community, helping each person document the economic human rights violations they have faced throughout their lives. Another key goal of this bus tour is to discuss the right to health care for every person, including prevention, cure, rehabilitation, and long-term care. People saw clearly the importance of universal health care as others spoke of medical problems they have faced and the human rights abuses perpetrated by the health care systems in this country. The recovering community had several representatives, and as they spoke, the importance of the Just Health Care campaign -- a campaign for universal health care -- became more and more clear. People are dying on the streets because they do not have enough money to "buy" their health and their life. DAY 3: The Freedom Riders hit three towns, educating, documenting, and learning. They faced a whole host of challenges they had not seen before on the Freedom Bus Tour. These challenges became learning experiences for educating and arming our Freedom Riders with tools for the rest of the tour and beyond. In rural towns they saw a face of poverty they had not yet seen. As they talked to mostly white, poor people, and people in the business of managing poverty, the attitude they ran into was the personalization of poverty. The attitude is this: If you are poor it is because you choose to be, or you did something wrong, and are to blame for your situation. Poverty for black people may be associated with pathologies or seen as social failings; poverty for white people is deemed to be due to personal failures. This attitude and miseducation seemed to prevail among many of the rural folks they talked with. The leaders of the Freedom Bus did an excellent job of articulating and educating people about the importance of each person's place within the movement. Major successes of the day were that they enlisted 10 human rights monitors into the struggle and they now have a chapter of the Poor People's Economic Human Rights Campaign in Chico and Redding. These events have started the dialogue that people need to have in order to move from managing poverty to eliminating it. DAY 4: The Freedom Bus Riders had a busy and full morning. After waking up in the First Christian Church, they gathered their things and went out into the streets, homeless shelters, and hotels to speak with the homeless about their economic human rights. The first stop was a homeless shelter parking lot, where many homeless were playing basketball and socializing. Here they ran into the most difficulties. The shelter managers would not allow people who spoke with the riders or signed any documents to have shelter or food. Many of the people they conversed with were hesitant to listen to what they had to say for fear they would be put back on the streets. But, once they started talking, a handful of people were very interested in learning about what the mission and goals were. Many of the people shared that they have been hungry and they have been without a home, but they refused to admit that any of their rights were being violated, even rights recognized by the United Nations 50 years ago. DAY 5: The bus drove for five or six hours to Arcata. On occasion they spotted trailer homes and destitute houses. Later, they found out the average annual income is $5,000 -- all people with these meager incomes are victims of human rights abuses. After a long bus ride, they arrived in Arcata, welcomed warmly by teachers and students from the Humboldt State Social Work Department. DAY 6: The Freedom Riders spent the entire day in Arcata, and a busy day it was. This was the first day where virtually all of our bus riders participated in the many panels. Throughout the day, they presented to three different audiences. They spoke at a community college, at Humboldt State University, and at the town square. They marched alongside students and faculty from the university to the square. The dedication of the marchers was strong, given that it rained the whole way. But, nothing got in their way. As the words of one of their most sacred songs say, "We who believe in freedom cannot rest until it comes." In the evening, they held a meeting to help form a local Poor People's Economic Human Rights Committee. They spoke with students after the presentations and testimonies in order to gauge the reactions. Fourth-year students told them that in all the years they had studied to become social workers, they had not talked to people who are poor and/or homeless. This is one of the problems with the system; we have people working to "serve" the poor and disenfranchised and making the policies in our country, but they don't associate with those affected by these policies. DAY 7: The Freedom Riders left Arcata early in the morning so that they could make their two most-northern stops, Ukiah and Willits. Both towns are very small and heavily dependent on the logging industry. Many of the service providers, homeless, and poor people they talked to have seen poverty in their community increasing. Rents are rising and people are finding it more difficult to take care of their families. People are either unable to pay their rent, or their rent is so high that their families are going hungry. Their first stop was Plough Shares, a food bank in Ukiah. There, they met one young woman with whom they talked extensively. She was in her early twenties and moved from the Midwest with her husband and two children. She was relocating for a company job, expecting to get a pay raise with the rise in the cost of living. When she arrived in Ukiah, she found that she was actually getting a decrease in pay, and has been unable to find housing for her family. Her family has been forced to live out of their truck, freezing at night, and searching daily for a place to sleep and eat. She said she did not want to ask for public assistance because she knew she was capable of working and providing for her family. Plus she knew the attitude that people have about women on welfare. Meanwhile, she and her children sleep in a truck, using their body heat for warmth, hoping her job starts soon enough and provides enough money to be able to pay the high rent in the area. Willits was the next stop. Here the riders met a logger who talked about losing his job because most of the trees in the region have been cut down. He said he loved working outdoors and also recognizes the loss that has occurred with the cutting down of the forests. It was the only well-paying job he could find in the area and is unable to find another. Many of the people they spoke with identified the increasing cost for housing as a primary concern. Others talked about the fact that minorities have a harder time finding housing because white renters want to rent to white tenants. At the tip of California, as with the other northern towns, people are struggling to survive. They are sleeping on the cold streets, in insect-infested hotel rooms, in their cars, in shelters, and are searching for food so that their families will not starve to death. All of this is occurring in California, the place with the seventh-largest economy in the world. .FOOTER ****************************************************************** This article originated in the PEOPLE'S TRIBUNE/TRIBUNO DEL PUEBLO (Online Edition), Vol. 28 No. 1/ January, 2001; P.O. Box 3524, Chicago, IL 60654; Email: pt@noc.org; http://www.lrna.org Feel free to reproduce and use unless marked as copyrighted. The PEOPLE'S TRIBUNE/TRIBUNO DEL PUEBLO depends on donations from its readers. ****************************************************************** .TOPIC 01-01 Book Review .TEXT ****************************************************************** People's Tribune/Tribuno del Pueblo (Online Edition) Vol. 28 No. 1/ January, 2001 P.O. Box 3524, Chicago, IL 60654 http://www.lrna.org .BODY ****************************************************************** 5. BOOK REVIEW: 'FUTURE HOPE' -- THE CHALLENGE OF OUR TIMES By Lew Rosenbaum To talk about the new year or the turn of the century or, as has been the case throughout the past year, the turn of the millennium, implies something momentous. It seems the concept "millennial" itself, something that occurs once in a thousand years, at least suggests a matter of awe. In fact, the times we are living in are remarkably different even from the times in which the last generation grew up, some 25 years ago. That is the fundamental thesis of Ted Glick's new, concise book, "Future Hope." It is a work culled from 30 years of experience, from being an activist in draft resistance to the Vietnam War to his work as national coordinator of the Independent Progressive Politics Network. While "Future Hope" is filled with allusions to and lessons from past revolutionary practical activity, Glick makes certain we understand that we are dealing with times unlike any other. The author challenges his readers by addressing questions of reform and revolution; what kind of organization is needed to take the next step; and what is the relation to independent politics? Glick asserts that a coalition of different forces is necessary to build what he calls a Popular Alliance, and that this alliance would take the form of an independent political party (independent of the Democrats). His own experience in the Jesse Jackson campaigns was a valuable teacher in leading him to conclude that a third party is a necessary antidote to Democratic politics. Certainly everything we have learned in the last 45 days since Election Day 2000 also confirms Glick's concern for independent politics. In his section on what the new society would look like, Glick stresses that capitalism develops the productive forces "to the point at which the age-old problem of material scarcity would be transcended" because of advancing technology. We are at that point now, when people's material needs could be met. In this chapter Glick poses some key outlines of what could possibly resolve the distribution of goods and services within the context of paying attention to regenerating our environment. While you may not agree with all of Ted Glick's solutions or analyses, his book is a welcome contribution to the debate about a future with hope for the working class. "Future Hope: A Winning Strategy for a Just Society" (ISBN: 0878100458, $6.95), by Ted Glick, is available from Future Hope Publications, P.O. Box 1132, Bloomfield, NJ 07003. Or ask for it at your local bookstore. .FOOTER ****************************************************************** This article originated in the PEOPLE'S TRIBUNE/TRIBUNO DEL PUEBLO (Online Edition), Vol. 28 No. 1/ January, 2001; P.O. Box 3524, Chicago, IL 60654; Email: pt@noc.org; http://www.lrna.org Feel free to reproduce and use unless marked as copyrighted. The PEOPLE'S TRIBUNE/TRIBUNO DEL PUEBLO depends on donations from its readers. ****************************************************************** .TOPIC 01-01 An interview with Tony Mazzocchi of the Labor Party .TEXT ****************************************************************** People's Tribune/Tribuno del Pueblo (Online Edition) Vol. 28 No. 1/ January, 2001 P.O. Box 3524, Chicago, IL 60654 http://www.lrna.org .BODY ****************************************************************** 6. AN INTERVIEW WITH TONY MAZZOCCHI OF THE LABOR PARTY 'We want to organize the American public with their real concerns' [Amidst all the drama of this political season, there has been a lack of discussion about substantive issues important to working- class people in the United States. Despite the efforts of so- called "Third Parties", those issues continue to get the short end of the stick. One attempt to address those issues has been through the Labor Party. The following is an excerpted interview, conducted by Mike Thornton of People's Tribune Radio, with Tony Mazzocchi, national organizer for the Labor Party.] Tony Mazzocchi: The American media is overwhelmingly controlled by corporate propaganda, subtle and not so subtle, 24 hours per day. It's an enormous task to change how people think. To bring about change, as I see it, is a step-by-step process. We really have to take it down to "ground level", organize ourselves from community to community, by knocking on doors discussing our program. The core concept of the Labor Party is to organize to address the concerns of working people. What we mean by "working people" is people who have jobs, people who don't have a job but would like to have a job -- we're talking about working-class folks or the majority of the people of this country. We want to re-orient the debate in this country around our concerns rather than those who are rich -- we think the two major parties are caught up in following a corporate agenda. We want to re-focus the debate centered on the concerns of ordinary people -- health care, a job for everyone, housing for everyone. We are rooted in labor unions, but we see ourselves building outside of the labor movement. PEOPLE'S TRIBUNE RADIO: What is the Labor Party's program? TM: We're for amending the U.S. Constitution to guarantee a job for everyone at a living wage. It's the government's obligation to create employment -- we think that's the best "welfare" program. If you can't work for some reason, of course, there would be income support. We want the right to organize unions. We don't think it's right for corporations to just "pull up" and go wherever they want to go. We call for an end to bigotry in all its forms-- we believe in the concept, "an injury to one is an injury to all." We call for universal health care from the time you're born until the time you die not paid by individuals. Universal health care would be funded in an entirely different way. We're for a 32-hour work week, a four-day week. We're for a free, quality education for everyone. Currently, the tuition totals for all public institutions come out to be approximately $23 billion per year based on the GNP. We call for free tuition to any public institution. We call for ending the abuses of corporate trade -- we see NAFTA and GATT as just corporate devices to seek the cheapest labor all over the world and to exploit that. We call for an end to corporate welfare -- a large proportion of our tax dollars goes to subsidizing corporations. We want the wealthy to pay their fair share of taxes. We all know that the 1 percent that owns the majority of the wealth are not paying their fair share. We call for the end of corporate domination of elections -- real finance campaign reform. In other words, we address things that were hardly discussed in this election campaign. PTR: Sounds like what you're saying is that it is the responsibility of government to provide real service to working people which were ignored by both of the major party candidates. What kind of organizational efforts are necessary to build a party that can work for the interests of the people? TM: Yes. Gore and Bush were tinkering around with issues around health care and what we do with the coming economic downturn. We need patience and a long-term vision to build a party of the people. We know the impediments to additional political parties because of the voting system that exists. You have to have a coherent program that resonates with ordinary people. People feel alienated -- 50 percent of the people did not go and vote not because they're stupid or apathetic, but because their concerns are not being addressed. So now the president only got 24 percent of the eligible vote in this country. Difficult times are coming, so the people's need for a coherent agenda with a vision to sustain them cannot be underestimated. This is not an easy task. PTR: How did you get involved? TM: I've been a member of the trade union movement since I left the U.S. Army at the end of World War II. I always felt that what was lacking in our country was a political party representing the views of working people. Today, we work more hours, more people in the family work just to make ends meet-- this so-called economic boom doesn't cover everybody. We pay more for health care and people are working harder than ever making them unavailable to spend time with their families. My vision since I was very young is that people shouldn't have to work until they turn 65 or 70. What's life all about? We should work shorter hours, we should have more leisure time, we should be insured against being kicked out in the street or suffering ill health. These are basic needs that I thought we fought for in World War II. President Franklin D. Roosevelt said we are fighting against the freedom from fear. I saw what our country could do in much more stressful times. PTR: The spin on every issue raised in this country seems to be pro-business. How can we turn that around in the eyes of the American people? TM: I think we have options. We can do nothing and watch things grow worse or we can decide to create a mechanism, which we believe is the Labor Party, to address problems that we are talking about. It's a long, hard struggle, but we see we have no choice other than to organize ourselves. You can't just put profits before people's lives. We are committed to our program. PTR: Can you tell us about the Labor Party's Just Healthcare Campaign? TM: We propose a national health insurance. We can provide health insurance for every single American at no cost to anyone earning under $134,000. We propose a progressive tax falling heavily on the wealthiest five percent of the top income earners of the country. We call for a 3.3 percent payroll tax. Any small business owner can pay the 3.3 percent in order to insure their employees -- this would go into a national fund and they would get a tax exemption. We're for a .5 percent tax on every stock transaction -- this would go into a fund to pay for healthcare rather than giving an enormous tax rebate back to the rich. We ask for $100 billion per year out of this surplus to go toward health. Let's close corporate tax loopholes. Our plan says, not 1 cent should come out of anyone's pocket earning under $134,000 per year. This is not to be done incrementally. We need healthcare for every American and we need it now. We are for removing profit from the health care system. The profit being made in this sector is obscene -- making money off of people's misery. Healthcare should be a right and not a privilege. [To reach the Labor Party, call 1-888-44LABOR. You can also access the Labor Party through the internet at www.justhealthcare.org] .FOOTER ****************************************************************** This article originated in the PEOPLE'S TRIBUNE/TRIBUNO DEL PUEBLO (Online Edition), Vol. 28 No. 1/ January, 2001; P.O. Box 3524, Chicago, IL 60654; Email: pt@noc.org; http://www.lrna.org Feel free to reproduce and use unless marked as copyrighted. The PEOPLE'S TRIBUNE/TRIBUNO DEL PUEBLO depends on donations from its readers. ****************************************************************** .TOPIC 01-01 Baltimore honors John Brown .TEXT ****************************************************************** People's Tribune/Tribuno del Pueblo (Online Edition) Vol. 28 No. 1/ January, 2001 P.O. Box 3524, Chicago, IL 60654 http://www.lrna.org .BODY ****************************************************************** 7. BALTIMORE HONORS JOHN BROWN, CONFRONTS THE FUTURE By Chris Mahin "The ancestors and the womb are one. Call on your ancestors. Let them guide you. You need their strength." -- An African proverb BALTIMORE -- When John Brown was hanged on December 2, 1859, his death divided a country. On December 2, 2000, Brown's death -- and life --seemed to unite a city. In 1859, most Northerners supported the goals of the attempt by Brown and other abolitionists to seize the federal arsenal at Harpers Ferry by force and spark a slave rebellion. Southern slaveowners and their allies lashed out in hatred against Brown and the other raiders. But there was no such split at the Enoch Pratt Free Library in this city's downtown on December 2, 2000. About 250 people assembled there that day specifically to pay homage to Captain John Brown and his comrades-in-arms who attacked Harpers Ferry. Sponsored by the John Brown Legacy Association, the moving 90- minute program of speeches, songs, a slide show, and awards brought together people of different nationalities and beliefs to ponder how to continue the struggle for justice today. The diversity of support for the gathering ranged from the Nation of Islam to members of the Jewish community. Dr. Ya'qub H. McAteer, the president of the John Brown Legacy Association, praised "the Christ that was in John Brown." Noting that the Million Man March held several years ago took place on October 16 -- the anniversary of the raid on Harpers Ferry -- McAteer called Harpers Ferry a "21-man march." He urged that October 16 each year become a day for a "multi-racial, all- people's Million Man March" to commemorate the Harpers Ferry raid and the original Million Man March. Reminding his listeners that Brown died a victim of "the barbarous death penalty," McAteer asked, "Why do we have a barbarous death penalty today, which affects mainly people of color and poor people?" McAteer also denounced the "big industry of prisons." Dr. McAteer's ordination to become a Unity minister is set for January 15, 2001, the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. Kay McElvey of the Harriet Tubman Organization, a group from Maryland's Eastern Shore, described the profound respect which John Brown and Harriet Tubman had for one another. Walton "Kip" Stowell, the mayor of Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, quoted playwright Julia Davis, who once described Brown as "an anvil on which God beats out his purposes." Stowell presented a "citation of recognition" from Harpers Ferry to the John Brown Legacy Association. Baltimore City Councilman the Rev. Dr. Norman A. Handy Sr. compared John Brown to the Biblical figures Abraham, Joshua and David. Statements of support for the meeting and the Association's work were issued by Maryland Gov. Parris Glendening; U.S. Senator Barbara Mikulski; Baltimore Mayor Martin O'Malley; William Cardinal Keeler, the Roman Catholic archbishop of the diocese of Baltimore; and San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown. The December 2 meeting was a positive step in the fight to reclaim our past so that we might claim our future. The John Brown Legacy Association plans to hold other events; these deserve everyone's support. The association is committed to opposing modern-day racism, economic exploitation and oppression. It is by fighting those injustices that we pay our best homage to that pious and honorable man who defiantly told a slaveowners' court that he had attacked Harpers Ferry on behalf of "God's despised poor." [For more information, contact the John Brown Legacy Association, P.O. Box 18, White Marsh, Maryland 21162 or phone 410-318-1060.] .FOOTER ****************************************************************** This article originated in the PEOPLE'S TRIBUNE/TRIBUNO DEL PUEBLO (Online Edition), Vol. 28 No. 1/ January, 2001; P.O. Box 3524, Chicago, IL 60654; Email: pt@noc.org; http://www.lrna.org Feel free to reproduce and use unless marked as copyrighted. The PEOPLE'S TRIBUNE/TRIBUNO DEL PUEBLO depends on donations from its readers. ****************************************************************** .TOPIC 01-01 Globalization: How it affects New Orleans .TEXT ****************************************************************** People's Tribune/Tribuno del Pueblo (Online Edition) Vol. 28 No. 1/ January, 2001 P.O. Box 3524, Chicago, IL 60654 http://www.lrna.org .BODY ****************************************************************** 8. GLOBALIZATION: HOW IT AFFECTS NEW ORLEANS INTERVIEW WITH TED QUANT [Editor's note: Ted Quant is the director of the Twomey Center for Peace Through Justice and has been active in the fight for justice and social change in the New Orleans area.] PEOPLE'S TRIBUNE/TRIBUNO DEL PUEBLO: What cultural-economic effects of economic globalization are local people experiencing? TED QUANT: There is a widening gap between the rich and poor which is also manifested as black and white. This gap is not just monetary, but also a social and physical distance. Middle-class whites and blacks are leaving the city, eroding its tax base. Businesses, including major retail grocery stores and department stores, are joining the exodus. Poverty, a poor education system, crime, violence, drugs and the fear of these things, are creating greater distrust, prejudice, police abuse, exploding prison populations, and devastating budget cuts in programs for the poor. One example is the planned closing of the Health Department's Children's Special Health Services Clinics around the state. Eighty-five percent of children in New Orleans public schools qualify for free or reduced-cost lunches because they are poor. What are the social and cultural consequences of this daily stress and the grinding uncertainty and instability in the lives of these families? How much of the anger, rage, depression and frustration of dealing with poverty are manifested in the violence, abuse, drug addition and other social ills in our community? Consider the stress of this everyday crisis for a single mother living in poverty. She is trying to hold down a minimum-wage job, but gets called to school because her child is sick, or being expelled for fighting or being disruptive. If she goes to the school, she loses her job, if she doesn't, she's an unfit mother and is reported to the child protection agency. Additionally, there is no safety net for her because Welfare Reform has eliminated the right of poor families with children to public assistance. Advocates in favor of punitive, anti-poor legislation justify these policies by blaming the victims of poverty for their condition. Poverty is not a social problem, but a problem of personal responsibility. This cultural value has other implications for the treatment of people. For example, [Texas] Governor George W. Bush presides over a state that has imprisoned a higher percentage of its population than any other state in a country that leads the world in the percentage of its population in prisons. His state has executed more prisoners than any other state, including the execution of the feeble-minded and the mentally ill. Children are being tried as adults in the United States; some so young their feet don't touch the floor when seated in an adult chair. The defenders of these brutal policies defend them with the oxymoron "tough love." PT: Who are the major institutional players influencing and responding to the situation? TQ: There are businesses and their associations, "pro-business" legislators, labor unions, social justice advocacy, activist and lobbying organizations and religious groups. PT: How does each player go about doing this? TQ: Businesses and their associations act politically to cut business taxes, cut social programs, limit unionization, oppose what they call "onerous regulations" such as, environmental regulations, minimum wages, etc. Here is an example of U.S. Chamber of Commerce political action, from its press release on October 6, 1998: "Two key U.S. Chamber- backed environmental provisions blocking the Environmental Protection Agency funding for implementation of the Kyoto Global Climate Treaty and for environmental justice guidelines are contained in the Veterans and Housing and Urban Development (VA- HUD) Appropriations Conference report and were approved today." Unions are fighting back and are conducting organizing drives in New Orleans targeting low-income workers in the hospitality industry and in shipbuilding. They are also leading efforts to pass Living Wage laws in the city and Labor Peace ordinances that protect a worker's right to organize. Advocacy and lobbying organizations for the poor, like Welfare Rights, Bread for the World, Pax Christi Network, etc., organize and educate and lobby for Jubilee Year debt reduction, anti-hunger legislation, death-penalty abolition, etc. Religious groups and churches organize food distributions and charity work, and labor-union support activities. College students at Tulane University organized anti-sweatshop demonstrations and sit-ins and demanded that the university divest stocks in such businesses and boycott clothing made with sweatshop labor. Students from other colleges joined their demonstrations in solidarity. Electronic networks of activists have been established that organize demonstrations and actions like the protest against the World Trade Organization, or the protest against environmental racism in a near by parish, or local actions and teach-ins about globalization. They use the Internet to send action bulletins on global issues like violence in East Timor, or environmental destruction by locally headquartered Freeport McMoran in Indonesia. It is also used to organize support for the indigenous people's struggles in Chiapas [Mexico] or to rally people to City Hall to speak out for the Labor Peace Agreement, or a Living Wage ordinance. PT: Why is each having this specific influence? TQ: Business motivations are higher profits and stock values. Their political representatives speak about creating a "business friendly" environment. This is often defined as tax breaks, anti- union laws, unorganized cheap labor, little or no regulations on environment or consumer protection, etc. But they also want educated workers, good schools, and a high quality of life environment for their business location. The values of the "business friendly environment" tend to undermine the desired quality of life environment. Business splits on the issue of free markets. Farmers and some manufacturing sectors and labor want protection for their commodities and jobs. They want consumer to "buy American." They want protective tariffs. They want the United States to get out of the international globalization agreements that lack environmental protections and workers' rights provisions. Labor aligns with a section of business that wants protectionist policies to protect it from the cheaper commodities and low-wage competition in poorer countries. This alignment opens the door to the political tendency represented by Pat Buchanan. It unites the workers with the interest of their national capitalists against the workers and the poor in the rest of the world. It takes the form of a nationalistic, anti-globalization stance, which is knitted together with jingoism, racism and anti-immigrant rhetoric. This pitting of the workers of the First World against the workers of the Third World defeats the interest of both and is the antithesis of the values contained in the economic justice concepts of "the promotion of human dignity, participation in the economy and the common good." .FOOTER ****************************************************************** This article originated in the PEOPLE'S TRIBUNE/TRIBUNO DEL PUEBLO (Online Edition), Vol. 28 No. 1/ January, 2001; P.O. Box 3524, Chicago, IL 60654; Email: pt@noc.org; http://www.lrna.org Feel free to reproduce and use unless marked as copyrighted. The PEOPLE'S TRIBUNE/TRIBUNO DEL PUEBLO depends on donations from its readers. ****************************************************************** .TOPIC 01-01 Hey Dreamer! Wake up and justify your truth .TEXT ****************************************************************** People's Tribune/Tribuno del Pueblo (Online Edition) Vol. 28 No. 1/ January, 2001 P.O. Box 3524, Chicago, IL 60654 http://www.lrna.org .BODY ****************************************************************** 9. HEY DREAMER! WAKE UP AND JUSTIFY YOUR TRUTH By Trinidad Rodriguez "Hey dreamer This is real life. Real pain, and real love. Hey dreamer Wake up and justify your tears, your truth" -- Politics y Amor, by Quetzal Have you ever heard this song? It's beautiful. It's beautiful to me because it puts politics and love right up next to each other. It's love as I have known it, also right up next to the truth and dreaming. It was with this sense of dreaming that a group of us in the League of Revolutionaries for a New America put on a Los Angeles event on December 1. For this event we invited revolutionary author Luis Rodriguez to lead a community dialogue on "Dreaming Revolution." We wanted to address the realities we are dealing with in this country, and also dream together about how our country could be different. We wanted to imagine a place where scarcity is not the rule, and abundance is the property of all. We wanted to invite everyone to join in dreaming and working toward this new reality. What happened was wonderful. The room was filled with over 100 people wanting to talk about how they see themselves in the process of change in this country. People shared their insights and experiences. Two women in particular caught my attention and that of everyone else. One was a teacher visibly moved because her students were actually reading a book, "Always Running," where finally they could see their neighborhood, themselves recognized in print, when usually their truth is hidden or denigrated. She saw this as the first step in being able to open her students to themselves and their world in a new way. Another young woman, also a teacher, talked of how being a mother of three made her rethink what it means to be a revolutionary. She talked about the struggle it is to raise children in this society, in fact making the case that this society is irreconcilable with being a mother. "I am a revolutionary in my home and in my classroom," she concluded. We planned this event with the intent of introducing hundreds of people to the League and asking them to join. We were amazed at the number of people who filled out cards wanting to get involved with the League. This evening proved to us that if we set our sights high and plan, we can connect with a huge number of people out there who are eager to talk and make a difference in their world. Reality confirmed what we already knew. We are not alone. There are lots of people out there who also consider themselves revolutionaries and want to be part of a revolutionary organization that dares to dream. We found out that we can build an organization big enough to capture the hearts and minds of the American people. We just have to put our dreams right up next to reality and do the work to make things happen. This evening proved that big things are possible with a vision. We brought people together. They liked what they saw, they want more, and left saying, "When is the next one?" .FOOTER ****************************************************************** This article originated in the PEOPLE'S TRIBUNE/TRIBUNO DEL PUEBLO (Online Edition), Vol. 28 No. 1/ January, 2001; P.O. Box 3524, Chicago, IL 60654; Email: pt@noc.org; http://www.lrna.org Feel free to reproduce and use unless marked as copyrighted. The PEOPLE'S TRIBUNE/TRIBUNO DEL PUEBLO depends on donations from its readers. ****************************************************************** .TOPIC 01-01 Spirit: An opportunity to shine .TEXT ****************************************************************** People's Tribune/Tribuno del Pueblo (Online Edition) Vol. 28 No. 1/ January, 2001 P.O. Box 3524, Chicago, IL 60654 http://www.lrna.org .BODY ****************************************************************** 10. SPIRIT OF THE REVOLUTION: AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHINE [Editor's note: The following interview was recently conducted with Rev. Bruce Wright of St. Petersburg, Florida. Rev. Wright is a Youth Minister at St. John Episcopal Church and is Director of the Refuge, a ministry to the poor, homeless, and counterculture.] PEOPLE'S TRIBUNE/TRIBUNO DEL PUEBLO: Christmas and the New Year are traditionally times of expectation and hope for the future. Jeremiah and Isaiah foretold an era of justice and righteousness and good news for the poor. Where do you see hope in this seemingly dismal world today? REV. WRIGHT: I see it in the faces of the people themselves, the victims of the ills of our society, when they come together as a community. More and more they are realizing that there is a power among them that becomes visible when they take action. The homeless and the working poor are staging protests in our area and in cities all across the country. Alongside this motion, there is a change taking place in the churches. More and more of them are beginning to understand the central message of what Christians call the Gospel. John the Baptist proclaimed it when he preached: "Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the crooked roads shall become straight, and rough ways smooth." Many churches are finally beginning to understand that this message of justice is part, and in fact the cornerstone, of Christianity as well as other religions. Last February's Call to Renewal Meeting brought together representatives of the United States Catholic Conference, the Progressive National Baptist Convention, the National Council of Churches, the National Association of Evangelicals, and others. They developed a charter to overcome poverty. This commitment -- even only in words -- is a step and a springboard for further change. PT: What are the main moral and political challenges facing us in the religious and spiritual community today? RW: The major moral challenge of the day is to bring forward the issues of class and poverty, especially within the churches. The end result of all this election controversy, and the installation of Bush as president, will be to galvanize public opinion against the system and energize the poor people's movement. The church cannot afford to be a johnny-come-lately but must strive for leadership. One of the most important questions is getting progressives in the church to work as equals alongside those who are immediately affected by our economic failures. We have to let go of the endless debates among ourselves about "what is ministry to the poor" and begin to let the poor themselves lead the way. This is crucial not just for the churches but for all activists, agencies, and coalitions. In the Judeo-Christian tradition, it was always the people who led the Israelites during their times of greatness. That is why God himself objected when they established kings for themselves. In the New Testament as well, the church was established as a body without exalting individual leadership. All participants in the faith were to work together in a cooperative fashion. Too many churches in this allegedly post- communist era remain enthralled with capitalism. It causes them to misread scripture and promote an individualistic work ethic in place of the cooperative spirit of our ancient ancestors. Nevertheless, I still see more openness in today's church and a willingness to rediscover our rich social-justice heritage. I am optimistic, but we have our work cut out for us. The massive flaws in our system, exposed by the election, are fueling a powerful undercurrent of discontent. This is an historic opportunity for people of faith to shine around the issues of justice. If the people move in that direction, and the church fails, then the people will move on, just as they did in the Russian Revolution. But I don't think the church as a whole will fail, and certainly a segment of the church will not fail. It is up to us. This is a wonderful and interesting time to be living. .FOOTER ****************************************************************** This article originated in the PEOPLE'S TRIBUNE/TRIBUNO DEL PUEBLO (Online Edition), Vol. 28 No. 1/ January, 2001; P.O. Box 3524, Chicago, IL 60654; Email: pt@noc.org; http://www.lrna.org Feel free to reproduce and use unless marked as copyrighted. The PEOPLE'S TRIBUNE/TRIBUNO DEL PUEBLO depends on donations from its readers. ****************************************************************** .TOPIC 01-01 Draft program of the League .TEXT ****************************************************************** People's Tribune/Tribuno del Pueblo (Online Edition) Vol. 28 No. 1/ January, 2001 P.O. Box 3524, Chicago, IL 60654 http://www.lrna.org .BODY ****************************************************************** 11. DRAFT PROGRAM OF THE LEAGUE OF REVOLUTIONARIES FOR A NEW AMERICA The world is entering an epoch of social revolution. Profound technological changes are giving society the means to create absolute abundance. But in a society based on private property, these changes bring greater wealth for the few and greater suffering and destruction for the many. A confrontation between the world's rich and the world's poor is gathering momentum. The future of humanity is at stake. Either society will remain at the mercy of private property, intensifying the ruin of our resources and capacities, or it will be reorganized so the plenitude science makes possible ensures the material, intellectual, cultural, and spiritual growth of everyone. The power to determine the outcome is in our hands. The League of Revolutionaries for a New America aims to unite the strivings of the people against injustice with the consciousness needed to guarantee the outcome that is in the interests of all humanity. The League stands for a cooperative society that nurtures the peaceful, equal, and full development of all people. This can only become reality when society rallies and reorganizes around the program of those whose needs the capitalist system cannot meet. League members educate on the radio and television, through the printed and electronic word, in places of worship and union halls, on campuses and on the street. We aim to engage and open up the imaginations of millions for a new America. We fight for the broadest possible class unity, where all see their fate resting on the interests of those who have the least. We fight to introduce a class perspective into every conflict and activity. We fight for a class party to secure this unity and perspective. We challenge the ruling class on the immorality of its ruthless devastation of the earth and human life. We trace every injustice to the capitalist system. We show how every problem can be solved when society is reorganized along cooperative lines. To all who see the dangers of today and the need to chart a new course for America, let us join our efforts to educate, invigorate, and unleash a powerful movement that can deliver the promises of tomorrow. .FOOTER ****************************************************************** This article originated in the PEOPLE'S TRIBUNE/TRIBUNO DEL PUEBLO (Online Edition), Vol. 28 No. 1/ January, 2001; P.O. Box 3524, Chicago, IL 60654; Email: pt@noc.org; http://www.lrna.org Feel free to reproduce and use unless marked as copyrighted. The PEOPLE'S TRIBUNE/TRIBUNO DEL PUEBLO depends on donations from its readers. ****************************************************************** .TOPIC 01-01 Speakers for a New America .TEXT ****************************************************************** People's Tribune/Tribuno del Pueblo (Online Edition) Vol. 28 No. 1/ January, 2001 P.O. Box 3524, Chicago, IL 60654 http://www.lrna.org .BODY ****************************************************************** 12. SPEAKERS FOR A NEW AMERICA Speakers on the worldwide movement led by the poor to end poverty -- and more. Increasingly, reports are describing the impact of poverty on families across America. There seems to be no apparent reason for the increase of poverty, homelessness, hunger and sickness in the face of America's "economic boom." Why? Isn't it time for a new discussion from those who work daily to transform our society to one that cherishes all? Could there be a connection between the growing poverty in America and the pictures of absolute poverty seen from around the world? Countries such as Japan, New Zealand, Canada and Britain are seen as prosperous. They are similar to the United States, but in ways that you might find shocking. The People's Tribune Speakers Bureau invites your participation in discussions that look carefully at these developments. We offer writers, leaders from various struggles, thinkers, historians and visionaries to speak at your events, including African American History Month, Women's Month, and Latino Heritage month. Send for a free speakers brochure or visit our web site at http://www.lrna.org From the most recent World Summit to End Poverty in New York and the Women's Economic Agenda Project's Bus Tour across California, the dynamic leaders and organizers of two critical events are among those speaking across the country. "I am sure our hearts are starting to beat together ... the end of poverty is the responsibility of all people's of the earth." -- Martin Longoria, Continental Cry of the Excluded, Brazil "But life is more than food ... we need other things from life: education, health, gender understanding, cultural expression and political education." -- Soraia Soriano, Landless Peasant Movement "We're building a worldwide movement to end poverty led by the poor." -- Cheri Honkala, director of the Kensington Welfare Rights Union. Call Speakers for a New America at 800-691-6888; e-mail speakers@mcs.com, or visit our web site at http://www.lrna.org/speakers +----------------------------------------------------------------+ BROOKE HEAGERTY: Co-author of "Moving Onward: From Racial Division to Class Unity" LUIS RODRIGUEZ: An award-winning poet and journalist who brings a vision of hope ETHEL LONG-SCOTT: Director of the Women's Economic Agenda Project (WEAP) and a leader of the Labor Party's Freedom Bus Tour CHERI HONKALA: Director of the Kensington Welfare Rights Union (KRWU) and leader of the Economic Human Rights Campaign HEAR OUR SPEAKERS ON PT RADIO http://lrna.org/ptradio +----------------------------------------------------------------+ HOOK UP A SUB TODAY! I want to subscribe to the People's Tribune/Tribuno del Pueblo. ____ Please send me a one-year individual subscription. My check or money order for $20 is enclosed. ____ Please send me a one-year institutional subscription. My check or money order for $25 is enclosed. Send this coupon to: People's Tribune/Tribuno del Pueblo P.O. Box 3524 Chicago, Illinois 60654 Name Address City/State/Zip Phone E-mail .FOOTER ****************************************************************** This article originated in the PEOPLE'S TRIBUNE/TRIBUNO DEL PUEBLO (Online Edition), Vol. 28 No. 1/ January, 2001; P.O. Box 3524, Chicago, IL 60654; Email: pt@noc.org; http://www.lrna.org Feel free to reproduce and use unless marked as copyrighted. The PEOPLE'S TRIBUNE/TRIBUNO DEL PUEBLO depends on donations from its readers. ******************************************************************