Reader Comments: Could Trump Win-Is He Planning a Coup?; Women Given Hysterectomies Without Consent by ICE; There Cannot be Peace without Freedom-Thoughts on the "Peace Deal"; Scourge of Racism; Use Art to Raise Antiracist Kids; Lots of Announcements
Demand Chile Drop Criminal Charges Against Feminist Arts Group (Center for the Study of Political Graphics)
Resources:
Yo! Semite! by Si Kahn - A Song for Today's Times
A Powerful Tool For The Conversations We Need To Be Having - Use Art to Raise Antiracist Kids (Radici Studios)
Announcements:
Webinar: No New Cold War: Chinese Foreign Policy and US Aggression - September 20 (Socialist Sunday School on China - Committees of Correspondence for Democracy and Socialism)
The Intricacies and Intersections of Climate, Abolition, and Decolonization - September 23 (Peoples Climate Movement NY and March for Science New York City)
Metro New York Labor Communications Council - 45th Annual Convention - September 30
Call for Papers - LAWCHA Conference: 2021 - Workers on the Front Lines May 26-28, 2021 - Paper Submissions due by October 1
Ta-Nehisi Coates to Address “Racial Equity and Housing Justice During and After COVID-19” on October 6 (National Low Income Housing Coalition)
But what about the fact that if we don't fix the planet, there will be no movement whatsoever? We'll all be gone. And the first hit will be the poor and disenfranchised! Save the planet and work on race relations, both
Patricia Dossett
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We need to quit focusing on racism and start focusing on seeing all people as equal and all made in the image of God.
Let me repeat this: The majority of white voters have voted for the party of racism in every presidential election held during the last 52 years without exception. Over the last dozen presidential elections, an average of 55.8% of whites have voted for the political party that has been the most publicly identified with racist philosophy, policies, and values, and the political party that has been the least friendly to the interests of black and brown people. Four years ago, 57% of white voters voted racist in the presidential election.
For the "Moron" to have a Coup d'Etat, he would need the help of the Military and after what he has said about our Veterans, Military Women, Men, and Dead calling the "Losers and Suckers", along with the knowledge of the bounties from the Russian on Military Personnel, I really don't think he has the back up of the Military at all. They may storm him instead.
I had totally missed the growth and election victories of the left in Rhode Island described here by Ryan Grim. Thanks to xxxxxx for sending it along. In the comments, a link to the Rhode Island Political Coopérative.
Every doctor in order to obtain their medical license must take what is called the Hippocratic Oath. The Hippocratic Oath basically states this- first do no harm. This is Nazi shit. The same procedures and methods were used on Jewish women in concentration camps, the Nazis also had programs in place to sterilize women they suspected might have children with down syndrome or other ailments that ran against the Nazi ideals of White superiority. This is a program under the Trump administration, he had these people rounded up, separated from their children, tracking the women's menstrual cycles and then performing hysterectomies on them against their consent. Trump supporters this is YOUR AMERICA not mine.
Dr. Amin Irwin County detention center Georgia .
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This is like the forced "medical experiments" that were conducted on African American me at Tuskegee; or the experiments on twins conducted by Josef Mengle in Nazi concentration camps.
In an unusual and blunt rebuttal of a former colleague, 99 Stanford medical experts reject the "falsehoods and misrepresentations of science" concerning Covid 19 by Dr. Scott Atlas, a Trump advisor, warning of "immense avoidable harm."
I learned that “Do no Harm” was the primary directive for doctors. I am very disappointed by doctors who cave in to the dotard and don’t follow that directive. Bigly SAD!
It's not. Deaths per million residents:
Sweden - 578
other countries that border on it -
Denmark - 109
Finland - 61
Norway - 49
even The Netherlands (highest density) - 365
A lot of folks have been asking me about my thoughts on the "peace deals" between some gulf nations and the state of Israel. Deals being brokered amongst dictatorships and regimes.
I am not an expert on foreign policy but I am a Palestinian American, daughter of Palestinian immigrants with family still living in both the West Bank and Gaza, and a descendant of generations of Palestinians.
You cannot make peace without the people who need peace the most. Palestinians are not at the table because the Palestinians don't want peace without justice. Malcolm X once said words that never rung truer:
“You can't separate peace from freedom because no one can be at peace unless he has his freedom.”
NO ONE can negotiate the liberation of the Palestinian people but the Palestinian people. We are a people that deserve to live with full dignity, sovereignty and HUMAN RIGHTS.
END THE US TAX-FUNDED ILLEGAL OCCUPATION.
LIFT THE SIEGE ON GAZA.
HONOR THE RIGHT OF RETURN OF PALESTINIAN REFUGEES.
These are where the conversations begin, other than that - this is all moot.
Listen to Palestinians. Listen to the oppressed people who will benefit from a just resolution to this longstanding injustice.
In December 2015, eleven months before the 2016 election, I sent a letter to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette which was not published. It contained the sentence, “Now comes Donald Trump, a Visigoth in a business suit.”
I must now apologize to Visigoths everywhere. Barbarians did not dismiss those who died in the their wars as “losers.” As far as I can tell, they honored them. Barbarians did not despoil their environment. It is said that the Mongols leveled cities in an attempt to revert them into grasslands. But even they knew they depended on their environment because they were not shielded from it by industrial capitalism. It is believed that the Mongols triggered the spread of Black Death into Europe by hurling diseased corpses into the besieged Crimean town of Kaffa in 1346. But that was directed toward enemies. To my knowledge barbarians did not consciously promote the spread of contagious diseases among their own people. They did not tell their people to avoid wearing masks when they knew that a virus was spreading through airborne droplets.
Trump is not a barbarian. He is deeply sociopathic enough to merit the term “madman.” Traditionally madmen were thought to pose enough of a danger to the community at large to require that they be locked up. Remarkably the media, with a few timid exceptions, has largely refused to connect the dots, repeating Trump’s claim that he was only trying to “avoid creating a panic.” It is one thing to calm people’s fears and quite another to actively promote the cause of those fears.
Trump believes that if he creates enough chaos, people will turn to him as a strong leader, the proverbial “man on horseback.” He is stupid enough to fail to see that works only if people do not see him as the cause of the chaos. In this the media is once again indulging their penchant, not for “fake news,” but for fake ignorance. In trying to avoid dealing with the implications of his actions, they thereby condone it.
Both White and Black wage earners pay taxes, property taxes, sales taxes, and income taxes.
Ever since the Civil War, almost all of that tax money has gone to benefit Whites,
If 2/3 are unaware of the 6 million how many are unaware of the ?? Millions of gays and socialist and disabled etc etc etc who were also killed At some point the truth needs to be expanded. It does not do the Jewish Community any good to isolate themselves from the horror of the HATE that was brought to the surface in the 1930 in Nazi Germany. Just a point in passing.
The following is what statisticians are predicting about the election:
Most Biden voters will be voting by mail. Most t-Rrump voters will be voting in person.
As a result, t-Rump will appear to have won by a landslide on Election Day.
Three or more days later, once all the mail-in votes have been counted, Biden will win in a landslide with at least 400 electoral votes.
t-Rump will declare himself President on Day One and institute the Insurrection Act in order to raise the level of chaos. It will then be a huge legal battle to get all the of votes counted. Especially the mail-in votes as they're counted last.
Be aware of this situation and don't let t-Rump bullshit you.
On September 11, 1973 the Popular Unity government led by socialist Salvador Allende was overthrown in a bloody coup in which Henry Kissinger and the Nixon administration played an organizing role from afar. Allende was a heroic figure whose name will echo long into the future and the Popular Unity government was a heroic effort to break free from the chains of oligarchy and imperialism, whose legacy will endure long into the future.
When I was chair of the Communist Party --- and attempting to rethink our history, ideology, politics, and role --- I would from time to time say that we might have as much or more to learn from the trajectory and fate of Allende and Popular Unity government than from Lenin and the Russian Revolution.
Sam Webb
Posting on Facebook
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"The death of Chilean democracy and inauguration of a reign of terror — symbolized by Allende’s death at the Presidential Palace on Sept. 11, 1973 — also turned the country into a ruthless laboratory for neoliberal economics, the same savage capitalism that is being vigorously contested in the United States today"
Wolff argues that cooperatives where workers function democratically as their own employers would not only radically transform the economy but also deeply change the relationship between the everyday people and the state. Collectively, with their greater control over the power of the purse, workers would gain an influence on local, state, and national politics that today is primarily enjoyed by private-sector employers.
Ruth First was an inspiration to those fighting apartheid. Her assassination 38 years ago shocked the movement fighting apartheid, including those in the United States. Here is a moving tribute to her from one of her comrades, Ronnie Kasrils. (Kasrils was a member of Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK), the ANC’s military wing, since its inception in 1961. In 1983 he was appointed Chief of MK Intelligence.)
She works very very hard, has people on her when she goes out for a walk, people on her when she walks in at work, has to perform, every day, tops. She’s not god and not perfect. Went thru hell when she first came out, getting all kind of blows, opening a path for others. She has made the day for zillions of people everyday, year after year. Cut her slack people!
Ni Miedosas, Ni Obedientes, Ni Submisas
Not Afraid, Not Obedient, Not Submissive
Gran Om & Kloer
Digital print, 2020
Mexico City, Mexico
On Sept 11, 1973, 47 years ago today, the democratically elected government of Chilean President Salvador Allende was overthrown by a U.S.-supported military coup. During the 17-year-long brutal military dictatorship of General Augusto Pinochet, more than 3,000 were killed or disappeared and over 40,000 were tortured and imprisoned. Although the Pinochet regime officially ended in 1990, much of the dictatorship’s legal system remains, including the Chilean constitution.
Military police in Chile recently filed charges against Las Tesis, the interdisciplinary feminist collective whose protest performance, “Un Violador En Tu Camino/A Rapist in Your Path” became a viral sensation in 2019. Authorities claim that the collective is “inciting hatred and disobedience against authority.” One of the lines stated, “And the fault wasn’t mine, not where I was, not how I dressed. You are the rapist.”
Last month, Special Rapporteurs of the United Nations Human Rights Council asked the Chilean state to drop criminal charges. “Las Tesis has been key in denouncing police violence and violence against women in Chile. The State has an obligation to protect human rights defenders. It should not prosecute them for exercising their freedoms of expression and peaceful assembly."
The charges filed against Las Tesis are a flagrant attempt to intimidate and silence not only the collective, but all Chilean women, and validates their activism. Femicide in Chile and around the world is one of the leading causes of death for women, often at the hands of partners and men known to them. Internationally, at least 66,000 women and girls are murdered each year.
‘A Rapist in Your Path,’ is a protest performance bringing attention to the violence women face on a daily basis. It was first performed at a protest in the city of Valparaíso in Chile in November 2019, and became a viral video almost instantly. Since then, the protest has also been performed in Colombia, Mexico, France, India, and in the U.S. This collective display of international solidarity serves as another reminder of the violence and injustices women across the world face on a daily basis.
The green scarves represent “La Marea Verde” (the Green Wave), a massive international women’s movement demanding sexual and reproductive health, and other rights. This movement began in Argentina, then spread to Chile and beyond, and its green scarf is now a symbol of women’s resistance throughout the world.
“The work of Antiracism is becoming a better human to other humans.”
- Austin Channing Brown
I love this framing. I want to be a better human to other humans. Most people I know want to be a better human to other humans, and the teachers, caregivers, and parents I know want to raise humans who are better humans to other humans. And yet, the “how” can feel overwhelmingly complex.
We read the books, we listen to the podcasts, and yet it can still feel so hard to know how to take action and talk to the kids in our life about these issues. We may even try to have these conversations, only to find that it comes out wrong, or the kids get confused, or scared, or just look at us blankly.
This is where the arts can be a powerful tool. Kids instinctively make art, and tell stories, and dance, and play. They don’t instinctively have complex conversations about the impacts of historical and ongoing harm committed against communities of color. We have to nurture and guide this work. The arts are an incredible entry point into the self-reflection, connection and community healing necessary for real, systemic change to take place.
So… how do we use the arts to make this happen? I’ve been working on developing answers to this very question for years, and I’d love to share my strategies to empower you to engage with the children in your lives, too!
5 Ways to Use Art to Raise Antiracist Kids
A FREE WEBINAR
SEPTEMBER 22nd, 8:15 pm PST
Art is a great tool to help parents, teachers, and caregivers have hard conversations about racism and white supremacy with kids. In this free hour-long webinar we will explore 5 tangible ways to incorporate art in your own journey of raising and educating anti-racist kids. There will also be time for talking through your questions. No experience with art-making required. If you can’t make the webinar time, a recording will be sent afterwards. To sign up click the button below and you will be sent the zoom link- For more information about the Webinar teacher, Jen Bloomer, click here. For more information about the longer 5-week class on Raising Anti-Racist Kids Through Art click here.
I know not all of you have young kids in your life, but I would be so appreciative if you would be willing to forward this on to anyone you know who might be interested, and if you can post it on parent networks or listserves you are a part of- amazing! As a side note, I don’t think you have to have kids to benefit from the webinar, though that will be the lens.
Please reach out with any questions. As a white woman raising multi-racial kids, this work is close to my heart, and was born of many years of art facilitation, activism, studies in expressive art therapy and ongoing learning from those closest to me. I hope it finds resonance out in the world.
P.P.S. There’s still time to support the Radici We Rise We Vote Fundraiser- check out the new totes, and t-shirts here. All proceeds go to Woke Vote, Mijente and Alliance for Youth Action.
President Trump meeting with China’s leader, Xi Jinping, center right, in Japan last year.
Credit: Erin Schaff/The New York Times
Socialist Sunday School on China
Sept. 20, 2020 Sunday
4:00 - 5:30 pm (eastern time), 3:00-4:30 pm (central time)
Zoom link and registration below
US imperialism seeks hegemony, it sees rising China as a growing obstacle to US unilateralism and dominance.
Progressives, socialists and the Left should unite to oppose the US policy of competition, tension and pressure on China. A new cold war could lead to conflict or hot war. We should support the independence and sovereignty of all countries, especially in the Global South.
There needs to be global cooperation on issues like pandemics, climate change and peace. Support the recent trend in the movement to stop a war on China.
A powerpoint on US/China relations and Chinese foreign policy will be presented by Duncan McFarland, co-chair of the CCDS socialist education project, who has made numerous visits to China since 1981. Followed by Q&A and discussion.
The Racial Justice, Climate Justice Webinar will be an interactive workshop highlighting the intersection of abolition and climate organizing. Our webinar will kickoff with talks from two local climate organizers and then break out into small groups to discuss case studies.
TOPICS TO COVER:
Connecting Prison & Police Abolition to Climate Justice
Histories of Abolitionist & Climate Aligned Organizing
Join us as we honor Stephanie Luce and Ruth Milkman from CUNY/SLU. Academics making a difference for workers, women, immigrants and their communities.
Followed by a panel discussion on Advancing Antiracist Practices in Labor Communications.
Panelists: Bill Fletcher Jr, activist and author. Hasani Gittens, Deputy Editor for THE CITY. Cara D. Noel, Communications Director at 1199SEIU United Workers. Rep from the New York State Nurses Association. Moderator: Garry Pierre-Pierre, Pulitzer-prize winning journalist.
LAWCHA Conference: 2021 Call for Papers
Workers on the Front Lines
University of Illinois, Chicago. May 26-28, 2021
The Labor and Working-Class History Association (LAWCHA), an organization of scholars, teachers, students, labor educators, and activists, welcomes proposals for its 2021 conference at the University of Illinois, Chicago, May 26 to May 28. The conference theme will be Workers on the Front Lines. Our conference will overlap with that of the United Association for Labor Education (UALE), which is scheduled May 24 to 27, allowing for shared programming and dialogue. UALE is a network organization dedicated to worker and workplace training and education.
Be it in pandemics, natural disasters, industrial “accidents,” or wars, workers always have been and remain on the front lines. The coronavirus crisis has put many workers in harm’s way. Too many are deemed “essential” and then underpaid while workers better paid and sheltering in place also suffer during the COVID-19 pandemic. Globally, precarious workers take home poverty wages while forced by employers to undergo new bodily policing procedures and risk their health and safety and that of their communities. This crisis has widened and deepened when it intersected with protests exploding in the wake of George Floyd’s murder. The pre-existing conditions of racism and police brutality—combined with COVID-19—further exposed the problems of a capitalist society designed to put profits above workers at all costs. Collectively, these intertwined crises reveal the deep significance of labor and working-class history to understanding our current moment. In 2021, LAWCHA seeks presentations that explore the experiences of workers on the front lines, interrogating the meanings of “essential” and “front line” across time and place, examining the stories of workers at the forefront of movements for democracy, sovereignty, rights, and freedoms, and what those histories mean for us today. Truly, there is no better place to hold this conference than Chicago.
The program committee encourages the submission of comparative, global, and transnational panels; sessions on “front line” or “essential “workers; workers and global supply chains; immigration and migration; gender, sexuality and work; the intersection of public health, medical care, and work with eyes towards marginalized workers including Black, Brown, Indigenous, Latinxs workers, and people with disabilities; working-class and labor movements for justice and democracy. We encourage presentations on the United States, across the Americas and beyond, in all time periods; teaching and public history; race, ethnicity, gender, disability, colonialism, citizenship status, and sexuality; workingclass communities and social movements. Proposals on other labor and working-class topics are also welcome.
We will consider traditional panels with 3 papers; lightning sessions of 4-to-6 very short presentations; roundtables of 5-6 people discussing a larger theme; workshops; performance-oriented sessions featuring artistic work; and moderated conversations between activists or artists and historians. All sessions must designate a comment/chair or moderator/chair separate from presenters. Please note if your proposal includes UALE members and/or aligns with the UALE conference.
We welcome proposals from scholars and activists in all fields, and especially urge contingent faculty and independent scholars to submit panel proposals and papers, not necessarily related to the labor issues concerning employment status in the field.
We encourage the submission of complete panels rather than individual papers. Single paper authors are encouraged to seek out others prior to submission. To assist, the conference has created a collaboration form where individuals can post ideas and seek others to create panels. Proposals for complete panels should include a one-page session description that includes a short narrative of the session’s theme, abstracts for each paper or short summary of each presenter’s focus, and two-page CV for each participant including chair and/or commentator. Proposals for individual presentations should include a one-paragraph description and two-page CV. Include contact information for all participants. The deadline for submissions is October 1, 2020. We plan to announce acceptance of submissions in December 2020.
Join Ta-Nehisi Coates, National Book Award winner and distinguished writer in residence at NYU’s Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute, and NLIHC for a conversation on “Racial Equity and Housing Justice during and after COVID-19” on October 6, at 1 pm ET. Register today for this live-stream event at: https://bit.ly/32yRqi6. Be sure to submit questions for Ta-Nehisi through the registration page or via social media using #RacialEquityandCOVID.
Ta-Nehisi Coates is a distinguished writer in residence at NYU's Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute. He is the author of the bestselling books The Beautiful Struggle, We Were Eight Years in Power, and Between The World And Me, which won the National Book Award in 2015. Ta-Nehisi is a recipient of a MacArthur Fellowship. He is also the current author of the Marvel comics The Black Panther and Captain America.
As an author and thought leader, Ta-Nehisi has been a vital voice in shaping the discourse on race in the United States and globally. His seminal article in The Atlantic, “The Case for Reparations,” discusses thirty-five years of racist housing policy that led to the inequities still plaguing housing in the U.S. Please join us for this conversation with Ta-Nehisi Coates on “Racial Equity and Housing Justice During and After COVID-19” on October 6 at 1 pm ET. Register at: https://bit.ly/32yRqi6
(Please note: A video recording of this live-stream event will be available for viewing for two weeks after the livestreamed event.)
