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New Ground 117

March - April, 2008

Contents

Politics 2008: the Terrain and the Issues by Bill Barclay

Capital Punishment Is Percolating in Illinois by Tom Broderick

Cook County Saved? by Bob Roman

Prelude to Revolution: May June 1968 in France

No Private Armies by Bob Roman

Other News compiled by Bob Roman

Yes We Can: Universal Health Care Now

An End to Slavery in the Fields

Have a Heart Resurrection

Quentin Young to Be Honored

Obamarama

SEIU Healthcare

New Ground 117.1 - 03.17.2008

0. DSA News

DSA Labor Commission

Yes We Can: Universal Health Care Now!

New Ground 117 - Chicago DSA http://www.chicagodsa.org/ngarchive/ng117.html

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1. Politics

Finally Getting Immigration Right

Campaign to End Slavery in the Fields Comes to DC

Troops Out Now

2. Upcoming Events of Interest

New Ground 117.2 - 03.28.2008

0. DSA News

YDS Is Hiring


Sustainable World, They All Said

1. Politics

Down with the Exploitation King!

May Day

Make Oil a Public Utility

New Labor Alliance


New Ground 117.3 - 04.21.2008

0. DSA News

Guess Who's Coming to Dinner

DSA Labor Network Statement

Greater Oak Park DSA Meeting

1. Politics

End Boeing Torture Flights

May Labor Fora


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2. Democratic Socialism

Another Perspective on the Culture of Poverty


New Ground 117.4 - 05.05.2008

0. DSA News

Chicago DSA Membership Meeting

The Red Letter

1. Politics

CNA v SEIU v CNA v SEIU v ...

No War on Iran

Catch the Flame


Happy Birthday

Capitalism, Socialism, and Work


Politics 2008: the Terrain and the Issues

by Bill Barclay

The Candidates One way of thinking about the political terrain that progressives face in 2008 is

through the biographies of the three remaining presidential candidates their inclinations, theirstrengths and weaknesses. Taking this approach is not to advocate the great (wo)man theory of

history but simply to a useful device for thinking about tactics and strategy.

Starting with the likely Republican nominee, John McCain, we see an individual who, although his


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biography might suggest otherwise, was not shaped by the Vietnam War in the way that most who

lived through that era were. McCain was a Navy bomber pilot during the early phases of the war andhad no experience in fighting on the ground in Vietnam. He was shot down in 1967 and remained a

prisoner of war until 1972. Thus he experienced neither the growing anti-war sentiment nor actions

of the US populace nor the debilitating effect of the ground war against a guerrilla army. He also, ofcourse, comes from military family: both his father and grandfather were senior naval officers. His

biography and his Vietnam experience make him inclined to continue the Iraq War until "victory" is

obtained.

Hillary Clinton's persona was partially formed during the 1960s but shaped even more profoundly by

the experience of husband's presidency. The right-wing attack machine grew and matured during the

Clinton years, resulting in both an effective media presence and a disciplined Republican party at thenational level, more along the lines of British parties than the loose formations that characterized the

US during most of the post World War II decades. The Clintons received the brunt of the attacks,

partly for what they did or didn't do but mostly because they were there, the national representativeof the Democratic Party. One result of this is a battle-scarred, hunker-down mentality on Clinton's

part, including a strong reluctance to admit any mistakes such as voting for the Iraq War. Equally

important, and a measure of the success of the right-wing attack machine, she carries very highnegatives that seem undiminished to date in the presidential campaign.

Barack Obama's biography was not written on the national political stage. As a result, his image and

persona in the minds of the electorate is the least defined, something that has worked to hisadvantage to date in the campaign. Obama's defining characteristic is youthfulness, a generational

shift that for many voters represents the possibility of alternative futures that may break the mold of

US politics that has dominated the Clinton and the (latter) Bush years. This perception is, at least inpart, the impetus for the large turnouts that Obama draws and for the pattern of a shift by

Democratic voters from an initial inclination towards Clinton to support for Obama as actual primary

dates approach and they learn more about him. For progressives who have wondered for yearswhere the "missing" cohorts were (most of our meetings have the over 55 crowd and a sprinkling of

under 25s) here is the answer. Obama has mobilized the 20 to 45 year olds in a way that no one else

has in recent memory. A large number of people who are repulsed by much of the Bushadministration's policies and political culture but who have been passive are now entering the

political arena. For most, Obama is their chosen vessel, although Clinton mobilizes some also. Like

all such vessels he is an imperfect one and, of course, not the one we would have chosen but nobodyasked us.

There is, of course, the question of whether the mobilization that Obama's campaign has managed to

date can be continued to the election. But of greater significance is where, over the long run, their


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entry into politics takes this new cohort and where they themselves direct it. While some will

undoubtedly drop away, many will find their lives transformed by the experience of politicalparticipation and will continue their involvement. The mobilization is real and offers a real

opportunity. What can we progressives make of it?

The Issues and the Campaign The biographies of the candidates intersect with and help define

the issues on which each party seeks to fight the 2008 presidential election. It is clear that the GOP

wants to fight the campaign around the issue of 9/11 and terrorism, leaving the War in thebackground. Bush will do his best to define this context by:

(i) getting and keeping the War off the front pages (the "Surge has worked," which may

well have been the goal all along); and(ii) developing high visibility prosecutions of Guantanamo prisoners.

The administration has already begun building the latter case, charging the detainees with war crimes

and seeking the death penalty. As the Pentagon's General Counsel, William Haynes, put it, "we can'thave acquittals If we've been holding these guys for so long, we've got to have convictions."

This strategy plays to McCain's strengths and his instincts. The risk for him, however, is that the War

gets back on the front pages because the facts on the ground shift. Such a change may occur eitherbecause the insurgents reemerge with more cooperation among the different factions, because the

long anticipated deterioration of US troops occurs due to lengthy tours of duty, or because the

situation in Afghanistan deteriorates further. McCain will have some trouble with the Christianfundamentalist right, but, come election day, they will vote for him who else do they have? Whether

there will be enough disaffection that turnout from this segment of the population is somewhat lower

than in the last few elections remains to be seen.

The strategy for the Democratic nominee, either Clinton or Obama, is less clear. Edwards' exit from

the race allows the remaining two contenders to adopt the pundits' favorite advice of "moving to the

center." While at first glance such a shift may seem adverse to progressives' hopes for this election,the reality may be less of a threat. Where is the center in today's US political terrain? On at least

three key issues, the center is where the left staked out positions not long ago. Large majorities

believe that:

(i) something substantive should be done about global warming;

(ii) the Iraq War was a mistake and troops should be brought home as fast as feasible --

the Republican claims of progress may actually strengthen the case for bringing thetroops home; and

(iii) a national health care plan is necessary, even if the particulars are unclear to many.


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One other issue may end up overwhelming any of the above: the possibility of a significant downturn

in the economy. The "stimulus package" agreed to by Congress and Bush will have little if anyimpact. The Fed is already worried about inflation and that worry will make them more hesitant on

further rate cuts. Housing foreclosures are growing rapidly. Although today there is limited sympathy

for people who are seen as taking on more risk than they should and generally making bad financialdecisions, that opinion may change as more people are pushed out of their homes and a contraction

in consumer spending drives the downturn. Normally an economic crisis such as this should be to the

advantage of the Democratic candidates, especially since McCain has confessed to know little abouteconomics. (He has assured us that he will remedy that lack by reading Alan Greenspan's book.) Of

course, neither Clinton nor Obama have established much of a record on economic policy, and both

candidates have economic advisors from the earlier Clinton administration, so there are significantopportunities and risks here.

What Should Progressives Do? First and foremost, we should welcome the entry into thepolitical arena of those mobilized by "the Obama Phenomena." This generational shift holds the

future of U.S. politics in its hands. Welcoming means working with them, not standing on the

sidelines telling them of Obama's faults; the right-wing attack machine can do that very well andneeds no help from us.

Second, we must do all in our power to continue the shift away from the GOP that began in the 2006

elections. Pushing this shift does not mean enrolling in the Obama (or Clinton) campaign, althoughthere is a role for those who want to do so. It does mean working to expand the electorate,

particularly by adding voters are the young end. These young voters and potential voters are

overwhelmingly against the War, do not have the same obsession with issue such as gay marriagethat their elders often do, are concerned even terrified about the threat of global warming, and are

worried about their future in terms of health care and retirement. Further, the numbers of these new

voters identifying themselves as Democrats or independents overwhelm the numbers who identifythemselves as Republicans.

Thirdly, we have to insist that there is a significant difference (and a difference that will make a

difference) between the two parties today. Unlike the time when George Wallace, running as a thirdparty candidate, could claim there was not "a dime's worth of difference" between the Republicans

and the Democrats, studies of voting patterns and ideological commitments show the smallest

amount of overlap between Democratic and Republican House and Senate members in more thantwo generations. Put another way, there is a real difference between a party that is in denial about

global warming, seeks to turn social security into a private insurance scam, is against a national

health plan unless it can be accomplished by tax cuts, would continue to place obstacles in the path


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of workplace organizing, and wants more Supreme Court Justices on the Scalia and Roberts model

on the one hand, and the alternative, whether the banner is that of Obama or Clinton at the nationallevel.

And, of course there is one more task for progressives in this election: to maintain an organizational

independence from either party. Whether we participate in the electoral work at the national, stateor district level, our organizations must continue to have their own life and dynamics. Thus if a

Peace and Justice organization or a community group or a DSA or a Progressive Democrats of

America chapter works in an electoral campaign, the work should be done as the group or thechapter, not as a set of atomized individuals absorbed into the party apparatus. This independence is

crucial not just to demonstrate the contribution that we make to an electoral campaign but also

because, when the voting is over and the term of office begins, we must be prepared to pressurethose elected to live up to their rhetoric and promises. Such post-election pressure requires an

independent basis for mobilizing for our politics.

Editor's Note: Bill Barclay is a charter member of DSA out of the New American Movement, an

Oak Park activist who represents the Greater Oak Park Branch on the Chicago DSA Executive

Committee.

Capital Punishment Is Percolating in Illinois

by Tom Broderick

As I write this, it's been nearly nine years since the State of Illinois carried out its last execution. Just

over five years ago, former Governor George Ryan commuted the death sentences of one hundred

sixty seven human beings. It was an historic event. To give this perspective: Oklahoma GovernorLee Cruce spared the lives of 22 in 1915; Arkansas Governor Winthrop Rockefeller spared the lives

of 15 in 1970 and New Mexico Governor Tony Anaya spared the lives of five in 1986. Governor

Ryan spared more than four times the combined total of these other three mass commutations.

Abolitionists in Illinois and elsewhere took part in lusty celebration. And then we stalled. We

couldn't use this sweeping victory to bring about abolition.

But, capital punishment is percolating in Illinois:

Anita Alvarez is the Democratic Party candidate for Cook County State's Attorney. She wants our

Legislature to deal with capital punishment. Originally, she suggested a referendum appear on the


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ballot so that the public could give direction. However, ballot referenda are non-binding, so she now

says it makes more sense for the Legislators to take up the issue. This is a call echoed by many: TheChicago Council of Lawyers, the Illinois State Bar Association and the Chicago Sun-Times among

others.

Given the inability of our Legislature to recognize that we have a criminal justice system that is morecriminal than just, I see small chance of this body taking any significant action. This doesn't mean

that we stop fighting. The tide is turning. Newspapers across the country (even in Dallas, Texas) are

calling for abolition. The New Jersey state Legislature recently abolished the death penalty. The firststate to do so since the U.S. started killing again.

Several states have put a hold on execution. The U.S. Supreme Court is looking at whether the lethal

injection system we use is cruel, and therefore unconstitutional. The same system that we use to killhumans has been outlawed in the killing of animals because it is considered cruel. Of course, in the

United States of America, we enacted laws to protect animals from working under cruel conditions

before we enacted laws to protect children from the same fate.

During the primary run, I spoke with Ms. Alvarez' campaign manager, Dan Kirk on the issue of the

death penalty and the current moratorium on execution. Mr. Kirk told me that Ms. Alvarez supports

the death penalty as "appropriate for certain heinous crimes." On the other hand, she understandsthat there are problems with the system that have yet to be rectified, so she supports the moratorium.

Since the reinstatement of the death penalty in the mid 1970's, eighteen people in Illinois have been

condemned to death and then found innocent and released. There are likely others who have beenless fortunate. It's amazing to hear a public prosecutor admit value in putting a hold on

extermination. It has always seemed to me that the slightest possibility of executing an innocent

person should rally all ~ even the most tough on crime ~ to end this cruelty. Taking a human life is acruel and an unusual act, period. Exterminating in the name of justice is a heinous crime.

Yet DuPage County State's Attorney Joseph Birkett wants Governor Rod Blagojevich toend the moratorium on executions. He claims it is unfair to have capital punishment without

following through with executions. Joining him is State Representative Dennis Reboletti (R

Elmhurst), who has introduced a House resolution to resume executions. No doubt they areimpressed with the Iraqi approach: sentence and exterminate within 30 days. In this country, we

have condemned people to death only to have them proved innocent 30 years after they have been

condemned. Thirty days? Thirty Years? Haste? Justice?

Birkett's wish to ramp up the execution process may well be a product of his mishandling of the

Jeanine Nicarico murder. Initially Rolando Cruz and Alex Hernandez were condemned as the


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murderers. They were found innocent after spending several years on death row. Brian Dugan has

been a suspect for twenty years. He has repeatedly offered to plead guilty for the murder inexchange for not facing execution. Instead, Birkett wants to go for death. This is a costly and

senseless abuse of official power. The Illinois Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty cites estimates

of up to $10 million in costs for Birkett's desire.

If Cruz and Hernandez had been quickly put to death, the case would be closed and there would be

no question of guilt. Dugan who? The Nicarico case? Once the condemned are killed in the middle of

the night, justice is served. Birkett would not be responsible for murdering the innocent because weexecute justice, not human beings. If Cruz and Hernandez had been quickly put to death, there

would be no question of prosecutorial ineptitude or misconduct either.

Former Governor George Ryan appointed a blue ribbon panel to investigate capital punishment inIllinois. After two years of research, the panel submitted a report that called for approximately 100

reforms to improve the system. In closing their report they declared that even if all reforms were

enacted, there would be no guarantee that an innocent person would not be executed.

Our Legislators enacted about twenty percent of the committee's suggested reforms. Birkett's call for

resuming executions not-withstanding, there is no proof that even these few reforms we have

enacted have made any difference in terms of justice. In fact, the refusal by our Legislators toconfront the flawed and biased nature of our capital punishment system was key to the Chicago

Tribune's editorial decision to call for abolition: "Who gets a sentence of life and who gets death is

often a matter of random luck, of politics, of geography, even a matter of racism." Can anybody witha conscience call this abomination justice?

We now have a new abolition (?) movement in Illinois: Abolition in Illinois Movement

(AIM). AIM is pushing the idea that the cost of capital punishment outstrips its benefit. On thesurface, I can only agree. However, AIM is promoting Life Without Parole (LWOP) as the natural

option to extermination. AIM is also looking to expand the number of crimes that would make one

eligible for mandatory LWOP.

We have a race and class biased justice system, which means our system is flawed. It is also

myopically focused on retribution. Those convicted need to suffer. Restorative justice is not a part of

the discussion.

I am also concerned that an expansion of LWOP-designated crimes would put more juveniles at risk

of being sentenced to our penal system for life. Some juveniles commit horrific crimes, but

condemning people this young to a caged life is also horrific. I am an atheist, but this is clearly hell'sanswer to humanity.


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AIM does not represent the abolition movement that I am part of. There are people who cannot be

allowed to live and walk among us. This is unfortunate, but true. However, expanding LWOP is nota humane remedy to the injustice of execution.

When we condemn someone to death or to LWOP, we have essentially said we don't believe this

thing has any humanity. Cage it forever or kill it. The truth is that thing is still human. No matterwhat that thing did, it is still human. He or she is still one of us.

If we had a society that treated people with dignity and respect from cradle to grave, there might be

some merit in discussing whether or not snuffing human beings was just. And I'm not sure of eventhat. But we don't have anything remotely resembling such a culture. We live in a society that

devalues life, that is racist, class biased, and sexist. The facts around women being sentenced to

death revolve heavily around physical abuse.

Back to AIM: If cost is the issue then putting more people in prison for the rest of their lives is

questionable. As humans age, in or out of the penal system, the need for and cost of health care

increases. It is estimated that the health care costs for elderly prisoners is three times that of youngerprisoners. If AIM has addressed this, I missed it. And I don't have the time to get into the quality of

health care administered in our penal institutions.

Representative Tom Cross, R-84, may re-introduce his "NoDoubt" bill. This is supposed to

narrow the application of capital punishment. Currently we have a "beyond a reasonable doubt"

standard. The "NoDoubt" bill is supposed to limit capital punishment to only those who are clearly

guilty and clearly deserving of execution.

When this bill was previously floated it was divisive on both sides of the argument. Then our State

Prosecutors came out solidly against the bill. Their concern seemed to be that such a standard would

effectively prohibit success in capital cases.

In a recent phone conversation with Rep. Cross, he said he wasn't sure about re-introducing the bill.

He didn't want to introduce it as some kind of exercise. The first time around, the bill passed the

House. After the fuss made by the prosecutors, particularly the retiring Cook County State'sAttorney, Dick Devine and the previously mentioned Birkett, the Senate chose to let the bill die

through procedural inaction.

The Illinois Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty (ICADP) is about to issue its yearly

report on the death penalty. This report is the premier source on information on the death penalty in

Illinois. ICADP follows the use of capital punishment throughout the state. This information is


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compiled in the report, which among other things, is delivered to each and every State Legislator in

Illinois. Then key Legislators are targeted for personal meetings.

The ICADP report presents death penalty developments and trends in Illinois, across the nation and

even internationally. The United Nations General Assembly voted 105 to 54 with 29 abstentions to

adopt a moratorium on the death penalty. The United States was one of the 54 "no" votes.

The report looks at statewide use of the death penalty, the crisis of police accountability and the risk

of wrongful convictions. It presents death penalty reform in Illinois for the past year. This is one of

the shorter sections of the report. "Key reforms in the areas of arbitrariness were again ignored,notwithstanding the disturbing patterns in capital cases documented in each ICADP report since

2003."

There is also section on the cost of the death penalty: remember the possible $10 million price tagthat Birkett may stick the state with in his desire to prosecute a defendant who would plead guilty in

exchange for a sentence that let him live.

The report finds that "the record of the continuing failure of the Illinois capital punishment system isclear. Public officials have had the opportunity to enact comprehensive recommendations for reform

for over five years, and have failed to do so. The combination of a failed system and a failed reform

effort requires the General Assembly to confront the need to eliminate the death penalty."

Finally, I want to mention that in the recent primary, there were six Democratic Party

candidates seeking the office of Cook County State's Attorney. Three supported abolition of the

death penalty: Tommy Brewer, Howard Brookins and Larry Suffredin. Now this gives me hope.

Editor's Note: Tom Broderick is a "single co-chair" of Chicago DSA's Executive Committee and

Co-chair of the Greater Oak Park Branch. The ICADP's annual report is (or will be) posted on

their web site: http://www.icadp.org .

Cook County Saved?

by Bob Roman

Supporters of county health care services (and supporters of county government in general) hadsome reasons to celebrate on March first after the Cook County Board, very much at the last minute

and by the skin of their teeth, passed a "balanced" budget that preserves County services, including


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health care. Better still, from the perspective of the Emergency Network to Save Cook County

Health Services, was the passage of an ordinance that essentially puts the county's Bureau of HealthServices into receivership. The ordinance passed is largely the ordinance proposed by the Network

except for one major pill embedded in the dog food. The original legislation proposed a board formed

entirely independently of County government by representatives from a list of stakeholderorganizations. As passed, representatives from a select list of "stakeholder" organizations will meet

to nominate candidates for the independent board. From that list of 20 candidates, Todd Stroger (as

County President) will select 9 board members. This board will be expected to reorganize the Bureauinto a reasonably efficient organization, including setting up a billing system that will allow for

greater reimbursement from Medicare and Medicaid. After three years, unless the County Board

decides otherwise, management of the Bureau will return to the County Board.

The reform ordinance was a way of taking health services out of the stalemate between those

wanted to raise taxes and were defensive regarding management and those who, out of opportunism

or out of middle class outrage or out of a hidden libertarian agenda, felt no tax increase wasnecessary but a lot of "fat cutting" was.

The Emergency Network to Save Cook County Health Services was formed early last year with the

blessings and support of AFSCME and SEIU when it became obvious that Cook County was headedfor a fiscal crash landing with health services being one of the biggest casualties. Chicago DSA

signed on in October. Based at Citizen Action/Illinois, it did a great deal of the coalition building

necessary for this victory. Some of the members do not love some of the others though apparentlythey worked together well enough while facing the crisis. Afterwards, the self-congratulations often

did not credit others in the effort.

A great deal of credit also belongs to Chicago Federation of Labor President Dennis Gannon. Bysome accounts, his shuttle diplomacy at the climax pretty much clinched the deal between County

President Todd Stroger, liberal board member and swing vote Larry Suffredin, and some of the other

stakeholders. The tax increases were no larger than immediately necessary and the health servicesreform ordinance was largely what the Network had proposed albeit possibly less "independent."

Taxes were the big story for the mainstream media. This increase will make the sales tax in Chicago

the highest in the nation. In addition to being regressive, it will likely discourage commercecompared to the suburbs. But this is only a small part of the story. The sales tax increase is estimated

to be worth $400 million in additional revenue per year but only brings $74 million (the increase

happens just in time for Christmas shopping) against the estimated $234 million deficit this year. Therest of this year's deficit is being made up by the anticipated surplus next year. But according to the

Center for Tax and Budget Accountability, Cook County's revenue problems are primarily structural.


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The taxes the County has available to it will not cover the anticipated increases in expenses. If this

year's deficit was about $200 million, next year's will likely be about $400 million. The problem isresolved for this year, and with management efficiencies maybe next year, but feces will be airborne

again in 2010.

In this context, a possibly independent and professional board may be a risky victory. Stroger iscertainly sensitive to the issues of services and good jobs in "The Community." Cynics will sneer,

with more than a little justification, "patronage" instead. Yet most patronage these days is not in the

form of jobs but in the form of contracts. Politics is nowhere near as labor-intensive as it once was;money counts for more. If County finances become impossible, what better armor for a politician's

hind end than an independent board to make nasty decisions like privatization or massive cuts?

The other part of the tax story, though, is the money not being collected. Some of this is part of thecurrent left critique: the ubiquitous Tax Increment Financing districts that skim increases in property

tax revenue to opaque and unaccountable local projects. But with regard to property taxes, there is

always a considerable pool of other money that is not being collected. Tax bills that are beingappealed, bills that are being contested in court, bills that are being settled for change on the dollar,

bills that won't ever be paid. Likewise, the sales tax is also evaded. How many dollars are missing? It

can amount to more money than you might expect, but that's a subject for another story.

Prelude to Revolution:

MAY - JUNE 1968 IN FRANCE

April 5, Saturday, 4 PM

New World Resource Center, 1300 N Western, Chicago

Panelists: Michael Löwy, Joanna Misnik, William A. Pelz

Forty years ago, poetry ruled the streets. The uprising of May 1968, during which tanksrolled onto the streets of Paris, was not just a radically defining moment in French history.The revolt by workers and students became a model of how to successfully challengecapitalist power and culture. Tens of thousands of students and 10 million striking workers


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(roughly half of the working population) took to the streets and shut down the country.Protesters behind barricades battled police whose tear gas and grenades could not stopthe insurgency. Without airplanes, transport, gas, or telephone lines, ordinary life was at astandstill. The French government almost fell as President De Gaulle fled to WestGermany, and those who thought revolution was not possible in the prosperous Westwere shocked as the impossible emerged on the streets.

More than a student revolt, May-June 1968 was a unity among generations of people whoachieved consciousness together, forging one of the biggest general strikes in history anda massive wave of popular factory and university occupations that made it impossible forthe French government to intervene. Old and young workers struck for a 40-hour weekwith no reduction in wages, old-age pensions at 60 for men and 55 for women, a fifthweek of paid holidays for young workers, and expanded trade union rights. A militantwomen's movement won the struggle for national nursery care, improvements at all levelsof education, and the right to abortion. Throughout France action committees controlledby workers, professionals and students administered production and distribution of vitalgoods and services. All aspects of culture were transformed under democratic control ofartists and intellectuals. Indeed, for almost 90 days the entire mode of existence in all itssocial manifestations came under attack.

Join us as we examine this remarkable chapter of 20th century history, and reflect on howMay-June 1968 has influenced contemporary social justice movements in Chicago andaround the world.

Michael Löwy, born in Brazil, has lived in France since the 1960s. He is emeritusresearch director in sociology at the National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS) inParis. He is a prolific author of many books in several languages.

Joanna Misnik was expelled from France for her trade union activism and for herparticipation in the Marxist tendency led by Ernest Mandel. A life-long anti-war and unionmilitant, she worked on the Jesse Jackson 1984 presidential campaign and is a member ofSEIU Local 73.

Dr. William A. Pelz is an historian of European history and an activist.

This event is co-sponsored by Open University of the Left , the Chicago Socialist Party ,Solidarity-Chicago Chapter, Chicago DSA and the New World Resource Center .


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No Private Armies

by Bob Roman

Back in 1879, Herman Presser was busted for leading, down the streets of Chicago, a parade of

armed men from the Instruct and Defend Association. He had no permit for the parade nor had theAssociation any license from Illinois to function as a militia. Loosely affiliated with the Socialist

Labor Party (which eventually forbade joint membership), this militia had been active in Chicago

since 1874 as a counter-threat to armed private employer security forces that were frequently usedto "discourage", by any means necessary, strikes and strikers and unions in general. Something of an

anarchist, Presser nonetheless appealed his conviction to the U.S. Supreme Court, arguing that his

(and the Association's) rights under the 2nd Amendment had been violated. The Court, no surpriseespecially as it was 1886 just after Haymarket, decided Illinois and the other states had every right to

regulate private militias.

Fast forward to the 21st Century. The infamous private mercenary army, Blackwater, has invadedIllinois, establishing a training facility in northwestern Illinois' Jo Daviess County. Local citizens,

mindful the loose gun play and casual disregard for human rights documented in connection with

Blackwater and other "private security firms" react by forming Clearwater. The group has theimmediate aim of forcing out a bad neighbor, but its overall mission is "to preserve the public nature

and civilian control" of the military and of the police. More information about Clearwater can be

found at http://www.noprivatearmies.org .

With the active support of Clearwater, Illinois State Representative Julie Hamos (Democrat from

Evanston) has introduced HB 5700, a bill that regulates such private security firms as Blackwater. A

synopsis of the bill describes it as:

"Creates the Limitations on Private Military Contractors Act. Provides that no State

funds shall be used to contract with or purchase services from any private military

contractor or related security or law enforcement training entity for training of lawenforcement officers or security guards; no military weapons or explosives may be used

by private military contractors or related security or law enforcement training

operations, except on secured U.S. military bases, other established government-regulated facilities, or government-related facilities designed for that purpose; and, in

the event of any natural disaster, civil disorder, labor dispute, or terrorist attack, no

personnel trained by any private military contractor shall be used, employed, orcontracted with to patrol, guard, control, contain, or arrest any Illinois resident or citizen


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nor to provide any type of security services of any kind during such emergencies.

Effective immediately."

As New Ground goes to press, HB 5700 had been assigned to the House Homeland Security &

Emergency Preparedness Committee and a hearing on this and two other items of legislation had

been scheduled for March 13 in Springfield. In order for the legislation to go anywhere, members ofthe Illinois House of Representatives need to hear from you: members of the Committee in particular

but not at all exclusively. What the bill needs now is cosponsors. So in addition to asking your

representative to support the bill, ask your representative to become a co-sponsor.

For more information on the campaign, contact Mary Shesgreen at 847.742.1406.

Other News

compiled by Bob Roman

Yes We Can:

Universal Health Care Now!

The 50th Annual Debs - Thomas - Harrington Dinner welcomes Rose Ann DeMoro, Executive

Director of the California Nurses Association / National Nurses Organizing Committee and

AFL-CIO Executive Committee member, as our featured speaker. With Rose Ann DeMoro we havesomeone well qualified to speak, and speak well and forcefully, on the nation's need for a national

and universal health care program.

This year, we are privileged be honoring:

· Les Orear, President Emeritus (and founder) of the Illinois Labor History Society ;

· Dr. Mardge Cohen, Medical Director of Women's Equity in Access to Care and Treatment and

long-time Chicago-area advocate of universal health care; and· Laurie Burgess, stellar labor lawyer and partner in the firm Jacobs, Burns, Orlove, Stanton, and

Hernandez.

This year's Dinner will be a bit earlier than usual, Friday evening, April 25. And it will be at a newlocation: the Crowne Plaza - Chicago Metro at Madison and Halsted in Chicago. For more

information call 773.384.0327 or go to http://www.chicagodsa.org/d2008


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To order tickets or to place an ad in the Dinner Program Book, go to http://www.chicagodsa.org

/d2008/flyer50.pdf

See you on April 25th!

An End to Slavery in the Fields

The Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW) is launching a national petition drive calling on BurgerKing and other food industry leaders to work with the CIW to:

improve the wages and working conditions of the men and women who harvest their tomatoes,

andsupport an industry-wide effort to end human rights violations and modern-day slavery in all

of Florida's fields.

The petitions will serve as notice that those who sign are "prepared to stop patronizing Burger Kingnow, and other food industry leaders in the future, should they fail to do so." The campaign comes

on the 200th anniversary of the US ban against the importation of slaves, and echoes key strategies

of the early abolitionist movement that helped hasten the end of slavery in the 19th century. To learnmore, go to http://www.ciw-online.org/2008_Petitions/index.html

In Chicago, members of the Chicago Communities for Fair Food have made presentations at some

local schools. Members of Greater Oak Park DSA have tabled at some local churches. And we'vebegun (with the warmer weather) to leaflet a few Burger King stores. If you'd like to join in, give the

Chicago DSA office a call at 773.384.0327 or email us at [email protected] .

Have a Heart Resurrection

On Saturday evening, March 1st at the Chicago Hilton and Towers on South Michigan Avenue,

Resurrection had its annual "Monarch Ball" to raise funds for charity care. It's a worthy enterprise,except that Resurrection Health Care needs to start at home with its charity; it has consistently

opposed efforts by its staff and by the community it avows to serve to improve care and to improve

working conditions. So some hundred or so members of HEART/AFSCME and friends (including afew DSA members) were present to ask Resurrection Health Care to have a heart, to cease opposing

union organizing efforts and to abide by community benefit agreements. This comes on the heels of

the National Labor Relations Board issuing an unfair labor practice complaint against WestSuburban Medical Center (a Resurrection operation) for using an "overly broad rule which prohibits


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employees from speaking to coworkers about concerns affecting conditions of employment and

which discriminatorily singles out union supporters." A hearing on the complaint was scheduled forMarch 12.

It was a decidedly chilly Saturday evening on March first, and the police attempted to make it colder

by insisting the demonstration be on the other side of Michigan Avenue, in the park. Here's one wayto avoid a lousy police order. Tracey Abman was the picket captain. She's also a handsome woman

with a fine and engaging smile. When we got the order to move, she asked to speak to the officer in

charge, by name. While they had a long and animated and smiling discussion, the rest of us formedup a picket line, small at first but it grew rapidly as more folks arrived. By the time the conversation

was over (it took a while), moving this otherwise peaceable crowd across the street would have been

a major pain in the butt. The line stayed.

Quentin Young to be Honored

Protestants for the Common Good will be presenting DSA member Dr. Quentin Young with its

William Sloan Coffin Award for Justice and Peace on Sunday, April 6th. This will take place at theorganization's annual dinner that is being held at the University of Chicago's Ida Noyes Hall, 1212 E.

59th St in Chicago. The program includes a 5:30 PM reception and 6:30 PM dinner and program.

Tickets are $150 and they'd appreciate having your reservation by March 28. You can do this onlineat http://www.thecommongood.org or by calling 312.223.9544x23.

Obamarama

This is interesting if you're an extreme right-wing ideologue of if you're a DSA member. It probably

doesn't mean much for mainstream politics. Right-wing bloggers have discovered Chicago DSA's

1996 endorsement of Obama for the Illinois State Senate and Obama's participation that same year ina University of Chicago Young Democratic Socialists townhall meeting on "Economic Insecurity".

This news started in New Zealand (it is the world wide web indeed) where a local libertarian has

been obsessing over Chicago DSA's links to mainstream Chicago politics. The news gradually (byweb standards) spread to right-wing blogs here in the States. It even managed to pop up in a few

conservative mainstream venues. More recently, the conservative Accuracy In Media combined this

with some juicy Communist Party associations (communist mentor unmasked!) and threw it out asan example of how the news media has a liberal bias for not reporting the story.

Of course, many right-wingers had been convinced Obama is a "socialist" already. If you're

wondering why, it's mostly because the term "socialist" for these folks has about as much content as


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"fascist" does for many lefties; it's an insult not a description. So the news from New Zealand was

greeted with an "Aha" by these folks more than anything else.

Much of this noise sounds pretty nice to lefty ears; you can't buy this kind of publicity. But as it's all

been on right-wing sites, not too many folks bother to follow up on the links, even when they were

provided.

On the other hand, this ten day wonder had been pretty much ignored by the left. Until recently

when In These Times ran a story warning of the eventual "Red-Boating" of Obama should he win the

Democrat's nomination for President. They probably have it wrong. For influencing more than ahandful of voters, the story has no legs. But because DSA and "socialism" generally has become a

hate object among the sort of folks who blow-up Federal office buildings and reproductive health

clinics (or would like to), the eventual implications for Barack Obama (and for the country) may befar more serious.

SEIU Healthcare

As New Ground goes to press, the boards of SEIU Locals 4, 20, and 880 have voted to merge,forming "one big healthcare union," so to speak, in Illinois and Indiana. This is part of yet another

round reorganizations and mergers within the Service Employees International Union. You could

think of this ongoing process as Andy Stern's version of the Cultural Revolution, and it's proving tobe about as controversial within the larger labor movement and in some places within SEIU. Not

here. This merger is subject to ratification by the membership, however the only uncertainty is how

many members will vote.

SEIU Local 4 represents workers in nursing homes: certified nurse's assistants, rehabilitation aides,

housekeeping and dietary workers. SEIU Local 20 represents workers in hospitals in a variety of

positions, including some physicians. SEIU Local 880 began life as an independent union, a projectof Illinois ACORN that later affiliated with SEIU. It represents home care workers and day care

workers. Some 70,000 of the 90,000 members of the new "SEIU Healthcare Illinois & Indiana" will

come from Local 880.

The hope is that the larger organization will more efficiently and forcefully represent the interests of

the membership. And that the savings from the economies of scale can be applied toward organizing.

New Ground #117.1


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03.17.2008

Contents

0. DSA News

DSA Labor Commission

Yes We Can: Universal Health Care Now!

1. Politics


Campaign to End Slavery in the Fields Comes to DC

Troops Out Now


!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

DSA News

DSA Labor CommissionEric EbelAt the November 2007 Democratic Socialists of America Convention in Atlanta, a group of DSA

labor activists formed a Labor Network to revitalize DSA's relationship to the labor movement.

We have set up a blog, "Talking Union" (http://talkingunion.wordpress.com/), as a forum fordemocratic socialists, labor activists and their allies to address the challenges facing the labor

movement today. The blog features democratic socialist perspectives on labor issues as well as

useful articles, materials and postings by others. To submit materials for the blog, send them [email protected].

We also have a Yahoo Groups discussion list. The discussion list is restricted to DSA members. To


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join the discussion list, go to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DSAlabor/ or send an e-mail to

[email protected].

In addition, we will work to get the Employee Free Choice Act passed -- this was one of the

priorities adopted at the Atlanta Convention -- including producing literature relating the fight to

rebuild the labor movement to other struggles by the progressive community. We also plan to informsocialists and progressives about international labor solidarity, and the need to renegotiate NAFTA

and similar free-trade deals.

DSA members are invited to join the DSA Labor Network by signing on to the DSAlabor list andcontributing to the blog.

Yes We Can: Universal Health Care Now!The 50th Annual Debs - Thomas - Harrington Dinner welcomes Rose Ann DeMoro, Executive

Director of the California Nurses Association / National Nurses Organizing Committee andAFL-CIO Executive Committee member, as our featured speaker. She will speak on the great unmet

need for universal health care.


Les Orear, President Emeritus (and founder) of the Illinois Labor History Society;

Dr. Mardge Cohen, Medical Director of Women's Equity in Access to Care and Treatment

and long-time Chicago-area advocate of universal health care; andLaurie Burgess, stellar labor lawyer and partner in the firm Jacobs, Burns, Orlove, Stanton,

and Hernandez.

This year's Dinner will be a bit earlier than usual, Friday evening, April 25. And it will be at a newlocation: the Crowne Plaza - Chicago Metro at Madison and Halsted in Chicago. For more

information, go to:

http://www.chicagodsa.org/d2008To order tickets or place an ad in the Dinner Program Book:

http://www.chicagodsa.org/d2008/flyer50.pdf

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Politics



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Democrat Bill Foster defeated Jim Oberweis for Congress in Illinois' 14th Congressional District, a

heavily Republican District in Chicago's western suburbs. The Illinois Coalition for Immigrant andRefugee Rights' Josh Hoyt looks at the results to conclude that "a reasonable solution oriented

approach to immigration combined with a hard offence on Republican hypocrisy can successfully

neutralize a harsh attack on Democrats for being soft on illegal immigration..." To read more:http://www.icirr.org/publications/FosterOberweis.pdf

Campaign to End Slavery in the Fields Comes to DCThe Coalition of Immokalee Workers' (CIW) petition drive to end sweatshop conditions in Florida's

tomato fields received a warm welcome in Washington, DC. Senator Richard Durbin joined SenatorBernie Sanders, Representatives Dennis Kucinich and John Conyers, AFL-CIO President John

Sweeney and representatives from dozens of human rights, religious, labor, and student organizations

joined the CIW's call to end sweatshops and slavery in the fields.

Senator Sanders decried the "desperate conditions, conditions that in some cases are so extreme that

even the Bush Administration has brought slavery charges," in Florida's fields, and announced that a

hearing into those conditions is scheduled for April 15th.

Senator Durbin announced that a letter had been sent to "seven companies -- Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.,

Winn-Dixie Stores Inc., Kroger Co., Publix, Safeway Inc., US Food Service, Supervalu Inc., and

Sysco Corp. -- asking them to join McDonald's and Yum Brands in the extra penny a poundprogram."

See the complete report (including photos and video) at:

http://www.ciw-online.org/DC_signing_ceremony_rept.html

Save the Date: Monday, March 31st is declared a Student / Farmworker Alliance National Day of

Action, and the Chicago Communities for Fair Food is planning an action, details TBA.

Troops Home NowThe 5th anniversary of the start of the war on Iraq will be the occasion for protests around the nation

and the world. Here in Chicago, actions are planned for Wednesday, March 19 and Thursday, March

20. For more information, see "Upcoming Events" below or go to:http://www.chicagomassaction.org/

For information about the rest of the country, go to:

http://www.5yearstoomany.org/

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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Upcoming Events of Interest

Compiled by Libby Frank

Events listed here are not necessarily endorsed by Chicago DSA but should be of interest to DSAmembers, friends and other lefties. For other events, go to http://www.chicagodsa.org/page9.html.

Tuesday, March 18, 11 AM

Ella Baker and Women in the Civil Rights Movement

Oakton Community College TenHoeve Center, 1600 E. Golf Rd, DesPlainesA lecture by African American Studies scholar Dr. Barbara Ransby, part of Oakton CCWomen's History Month. For information, go to http://www.oakton.edu/acad/dept/philhum/

Wednesday, March 19, 6 PM

Protest the War

Federal Plaza, Adams and Dearborn, ChicagoRally on the 5th Anniversary of the Iraq war. March to Bughouse Square. For moreinformation:http://www.chicagomassaction.org/

Wednesday, March 19, 6 PM to 8 PM

3rd Annual Women of POWER Conference

Southwest Youth Collaborative, 6400 S. Kedzie, ChicagoThe Women of POWER Conference represents the coming together of Afro-Latinaactivists from Latin America, the Caribbean and Central America who are working totransform their communities. This coming together of women of the African Diasporabridges and shares information and experiences that enlighten and develop collaborativenetworks of support. For information, go tohttp://www.swyc.org/womenofpower or http://www.cccadi.org/node/83

Thursday, March 20

Resist the War

"A day of creative actions throughout the downtown and metro area followed by apermitted 'Convergence' at 5 PM at the Federal Plaza," Dearborn & Adams, in Chicago.For more information:


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http://www.chicagomassaction.org/

Friday, March 21, Noon

Annual Good Friday March for Justice

Starting at northeast corner of Congress and MichiganThe 8th Day Center for Justice's annual march for justice. This year's theme "Rise Up".For information, seehttp://www.8thdaycenter.org/action/c_projects.html#gf

Friday, March 21, 9 PM

Art Against War

The Heartland Cafe, 7000 N. Glenwood, ChicagoFirst event of the Art Against War at the Heartland Cafe, featuring Carol Williams and TheAmoreys. Cost $5.See http://www.myspace.com/artagainstwar

Saturday, March 22, 2 PM

The 2008 Election: Realizing the Potential for Change

Columbia College Ferguson Auditorium, 600 S. Michigan Av, ChicagoPresentation with Q&A by Carl Bloice. Sponsored by Committees of Correspondence forDemocracy and Socialism - Chicago. For information, email [email protected] or call312.927.2689

Saturday, March 22, 6:30 PM

Union Worker Struggles in Colombia

Autonomous Center, 3460 W. Lawrence, ChicagoEdgar Paez, International Representative of SINALTRAINAL (Food Industry WorkersUnion) of Colombia will lead an in-depth discussion on conditions for workers and unionorganizing in both Colombia and the U.S. For more information, go to:http://chicago.indymedia.org/newswire/display/81630/index.php


Birthright Unplugged Replugged

Mercury Cafe, 1505 W. Chicago Av, ChicagoOpening reception for a photography exhibit which chronicles the experiences of NorthAmericans visiting Palestinian villages and Palestinian children visiting their ancestrallands. Sponsored by Jewish Voices for Peace and American Friends Service Committee.


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For information, email [email protected], also see http://www.birthrightunplugged.org/


19th Annual Nelson Algren Birthday Party

St. Paul's Church, 2215 W. North Av, ChicagoCelebrating the 99th birthday of the late Nelson Algren, this year's event will honorChicago progressive writers Kari Lydersen, John Conroy, and John K. Wilson. A blend ofspoken word, music, and video. Admission $7. For more information, go to:http://www.nelsonalgren.org/


Fundraiser for Bush 4 Defendants

Decima Musa, 1901 S. Loomis, ChicagoSuggested donation $20

Wednesday, March 26, 12:30 PM

Achy Obejas - Chicago Writers Series

Oakton Community College Footlik Theater, 1600 E. Golf Rd, DesPlainesHavana-born Achy Obejas is the author of Days of Awe, a critically-acclaimed novel aboutthe tensions between public and private identities set against the backdrop of the Jewishcommunity in Cuba. She recently published her first collection of poetry, This is WhatHappened in Our Other Life. For information, contact Lynn Woodbury 847.635.1953.

Thursday, March 27, 6 PM to 8 PM

The March of the Mill Children

The Rice Building, 810 W. Van Buren, Ste 110, ChicagoA speech by Mother Jones, adapted and performed by Betsy Means, music performed byBucky Halker. Admission, $10 Sponsored by AFSCME DISTIRCT 31 · USW DISTRICT 7 ·CHICAGO REGIONAL COUNCIL OF CARPENTERS · SEIU STATE COUNCIL ·OPERATING ENGINEERS LOCAL 150 · ILLINOIS STATE POSTAL WORKERS UNION ·POSTAL WORKERS PEORIA AREA · IBT JOINT COUNCIL 25. To register, call312.996.2127.

Friday, March 28, 7 PM

The Vagina Monologues

Oakton Community College Rooms 145-152, 7701 N. Lincoln Av, SkokieStudent production as part of Women's History Month and benefit for V-Day. $12 general,


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$8 students and seniors. See:http://www.oakton.edu/acad/dept/philhum/Womens_Studies.htm

Saturday, March 29, 10 AM to 12:30 PM

Women and Work: Climb That Ladder to Equality

Kennedy King College U Building, 740 W. 63rd St, ChicagoConference honoring and featuring Rev. Addie Wyatt, Anne Ladky, Margaret Schmid, KinaMcAfee, Lynda DeLaforgue, Jerlean Fleming, and Melanie Ferrand. Katy Jordan, CLUW,emcee. For information see:http://workingwomen.homestead.com/Events.html

New Ground #117.2

03.28.2008

Contents

0. DSA News

YDS Is Hiring


Sustainable World, They All Said

1. Politics

Down with the Exploitation King!

May Day

Make Oil a Public Utility

New Labor Alliance


!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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DSA News

YDS Is HiringDemocratic Socialists of America (DSA), the largest socialist organization in the US, and an affiliate

of the global Socialist International, seeks an organizer for its youth division, the Young Democratic

Socialists (YDS).

YDS is an organization of campus-based chapters and regionally-based groupings of younger (under

30) socialists who wish to develop a political and cultural space of their own, yet one that is an

integral part of DSA. The organizer works out of DSA's national office in New York City and travelsthroughout the United States to speak to both new and experienced YDS campus chapters, as well as

to independent progressive students interested in learning about democratic socialism.

Applications are due by April 21. For a complete description of the job and how to apply, go to:http://www.ydsusa.org/news/dsayojobannoucement.html

Yes We Can: Universal Health Care Now!The 50th Annual Debs - Thomas - Harrington Dinner welcomes Rose Ann DeMoro, ExecutiveDirector of the California Nurses Association / National Nurses Organizing Committee and

AFL-CIO Executive Committee member, as our featured speaker. She will speak on the great unmet

need for universal health care.


Les Orear, President Emeritus (and founder) of the Illinois Labor History Society;

Dr. Mardge Cohen, Medical Director of Women's Equity in Access to Care and Treatmentand long-time Chicago-area advocate of universal health care; and

Laurie Burgess, stellar labor lawyer and partner in the firm Jacobs, Burns, Orlove, Stanton,

and Hernandez.

This year's Dinner will be a bit earlier than usual, Friday evening, April 25. And it will be at a new

location: the Crowne Plaza - Chicago Metro at Madison and Halsted in Chicago. For more

information, go to:http://www.chicagodsa.org/d2008

To order tickets or place an ad in the Dinner Program Book:

http://www.chicagodsa.org/d2008/flyer50.pdf


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Sustainable World, They All SaidThe Socialist International Commission for a Sustainable World Society met on Monday 24 March,

in Santiago, Chile, in the midst of great media interest, with the participation of H.E. MichelleBachelet, President of the Republic of Chile, and chaired by Ricardo Lagos, former President of

Chile and a Special Envoy for the United Nations Secretary-General on Climate Change. To read

more about the event, photos, documents, and video, go to:http://www.socialistinternational.org/viewArticle.cfm?ArticleID=1917

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Politics

Down with the Exploitation King

It's time for Burger King to take responsibility for the sweatshop conditions and human rights

abuses in its tomato supply chain.

Action in solidarity with the Coalition of Immokalee Workers, as part of a national day of action:

http://blog.aflcio.org/2008/03/26/

Monday, March 31st

5:00 PM: Meet at the Fullerton CTA Red Line stop

5:30 PM: March on Burger King, 1401 W Fullerton Ave.

Organized by Chicago Communities for Fair Food

http://www.chicagofairfood.org

Contact: Lexi Carlson, [email protected]

Details:

Tomato pickers in Florida's fields face sweatshop conditions every day:

Sub-Poverty Wages: Tomato pickers make, on average, $10,000/yearNo Raise in Nearly 30 Years: Pickers are paid virtually the same per-bucket piece rate(about

45 cents per 32lb. bucket) today as they were in 1980. At this rate, workers have to pick 2.5

TONS of tomatoes just to earn minimum wage in a typical 10-hour day.


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Denial of Fundamental Labor Rights: Farmworkers in Florida have no right to overtime pay

and no right to organize or bargain collectively. In the most extreme cases, farmworkers faceconditions of modern-day slavery.

By using their bulk purchasing power, fast food giants like Burger King play an active role in

creating the miserable conditions in Florida's f ields. By refusing to work with the CIW to improvefarm labor conditions, Burger King continues to perpetuate farmworker exploitation.

The CIW is a membership-led organization of mostly Latino, Haitian and Mayan Indian low-wage

immigrant workers based in Southwest Florida, winning precedent -setting agreements with Yum!Brands (parent company of Taco Bell) in 2005 and with McDonald's in 2007. These agreements

directly improve working conditions in these companies' tomato supply chains.

How much longer will Burger King stand in the

way of progress?

May Day!Save May 1st for another May Day march. Starting in Union Park at Ashland and Lake with a 10AM rally, the march will leave the park at Noon for a 1:30 PM rally in the Federal Plaza (Adams and

Dearborn). They hope to end by 3:30 PM.

The organizers observe:

"This year marks a critical point in the fight for dignity, justice and Legalization for the

12 million undocumented. Together we have won victories in the past 2 years by the

millions defeating HR4437. Together our voices were heard through the resistance ledby Elvira Arellano and Flor Crisostomo against separation of families. Now, we are

calling on you so that again our voices and demands can be heard, the only thing that

stands against us is the vocal minority of hate and the danger of division. Now is ourtime. Let nothing divide us. Together, We are the New Majority."

For more information, go to:

http://www.chicagomayday.com/

Make Oil a Public UtilityThis is what Ed Ludwig in the Albany Times Union suggested. Les Schlosberg forwarded it on to us

with the comment, "Isn't this something DSA, nationally and locally could circulate around thecountry?" To check out just what Ed Ludwig had in mind, go to:


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http://timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=674145&category=OPINION&newsdate=3

/23/2008or the Common Dreams reprint at:

http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2008/03/24/7863/

New Labor Alliance

"The Communication Workers of America, the United Auto Workers and the United Steelworkers,

and the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers, which together represent

well over 2 million workers, will develop common strategies and share resources to help elect

candidates who support working families, and to advocate on public policy issues. The new alliance,which has committed to invest resources heavily in the next two years to help achieve its goals, has

identified four top priorities: Passing the Employee Free Choice Act, which allow workers to

exercise their right to organize free from employer coercion; winning universal health care; and,protecting jobs by promoting fair trade."

To read more about this, go to:

http://www.usw.org/uswa/program/content/4558.php

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



Events listed here are not necessarily endorsed by Chicago DSA but should be of interest to DSA

members, friends and other lefties. For other events, go to http://www.chicagodsa.org/page9.html.

Saturday, March 29, 10 AM to 12:30 PM

Women and Work: Climb That Ladder to Equality

Kennedy King College U Building, 740 W. 63rd St, ChicagoConference honoring and featuring Rev. Addie Wyatt, Anne Ladky, Margaret Schmid, KinaMcAfee, Lynda DeLaforgue, Jerlean Fleming, and Melanie Ferrand. Katy Jordan, CLUW,emcee. For information see:http://workingwomen.homestead.com/Events.html


"The Bases Are Loaded"


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Albany Park Branch Library, 5150 N. Kimball, ChicagoShowing of a documentary by journalist Dahr Jamail about permanent U.S. military basesin Iraq, followed by discussion. Sponsored by Albany Park Neighbors for Peace. Forinformation [email protected]

Tuesday, April 2 through Thursday, April 4, 5 PM to 6:30 PM

African American Peace Makers as Agents for Change

Jane Addams Hull-House Museum Residents' Dining Hall, 800 S. Halsted, Chicago

Tuesday, April 2, Dr. Beverly Guy Sheftall on "African American Women PeaceMakers";

Wednesday, April 3, Bill Fletcher Jr on "African American PeaceMakers on a Global

Stage"; Thursday, April 4, Dr. Manning Marable on "African American PeaceMakers: AHistorical View". Co-Sponsored by University of Illinois Office of the President, UICDepartment of African American Studies, UIC College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, UICGreat Cities Institutes, UIC Office of the Chancellor, The Public Square at the IllinoisHumanities Council and Jane Addams Hull-House Museum. For information, go to:http://www.uic.edu/jaddams/hull/Events/PeaceMakers/

Friday, April 4, 4 PM

Genocide: Crimes Unpunished, Lessons Unlearned

University of Chicago International House, 1414 E. 59th St, ChicagoKeynote address by Ambassador Francis Deng. The opening event on a conference thecrime of genocide: the legal, social and political framework for dealing with present crimes

and deterring future acts. Workshops and panel discussions all day Saturday, April 5.Sponsors include: the Darfur Action and Education Fund, the Norman Wait Harris Fundfor the Center for International Studies, the International House Global Voices Program,and the Human Rights Program. For more information, go to:http://humanrights.uchicago.edu/genocide_conference.shtml

Friday, April 4, 6:30 PM to 9 PM

Illinois Coalition for Peace and Justice 3rd Annual Conference

Loyola University, 6525 N. Sheridan Rd, ChicagoRegistration and keynote speaker Jose Vasquez of Iraq Veterans Against the War inFlanner Hall Auditorium. Free and open to the public. To register for the conference, goto:http://ilcpj.org/2008conference/registration.php

Saturday, April 5, registration at 8 AM


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Illinois Coalition for Peace and Justice 3rd Annual Conference

Loyola University, 6525 N. Sherican Rd., ChicagoTo register for the conference, go to:http://ilcpj.org/2008conference/registration.php

Saturday, April 5, 11 AM to 1 PM

Getting Paid to Cause Trouble

Roosevelt University Gage Gallery, 18 S. Michigan Av, ChicagoOrganizers from local and national unions and community organizations will talk aboutwhat they do and why they do it. There will be plenty of time for questions andconversation too. For more information, go to:http://www.workingclassstudies.org/

Saturday, April 5, 1 PM to 4 PM

The Hip-Hop Generation: Race, Gender, and the Elections

University of Chicago Max Palevsky Cinema in Ida Noyes Hall, 1212 E. 59th St, ChicagoPerformances and discussion around race and gender in the 2008 elections featuringBakari Kitwana, Rosa Clemente, William Upski Wimsatt, Maya Rockeymoore, VijayPrashad, M1, AquaMoon, Crystal Moon. For more information, go to:http://www.thepublicsquare.org/index.cfm/fa/dir_events.event_detail/object_id/e73e8929-3de0-4788-9edf-0b399be2d91b

Saturday, April 5, 4 PM

Prelude to Revolution: May - June 1968 in France

New World Resource Center, 1300 N. Western Av, ChicagoPanel discussion featuring Michael Lowy, Joanna Misnik, and William Pelz. Sponsored byOpen University of the Left, Chicago Socialist Party, Solidarity - Chicago Chapter, NewWorld Resource Center, and Chicago DSA. For information:http://www.openuniversityoftheleft.org

Sunday, April 6, 6 PM to 9 PM

Islamophobia

A La Turka Restaurant Private Dining Room, 3134 N. Lincoln Av 2nd Floor, ChicagoA panel discussion about America's latest hate object, featuring distinguished academicsJanet Afary, Marcia Hermanson, Valentine Moghadam, Gunes Tezcur. Cost $20 (for buffetdinner from the restaurant. Sponsored by Tikkun Chicago. For more information or RSVP,email Ina Marks at [email protected] or call 773.327.0465


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Monday, April 7, 4:30 PM to 6:30 PM

Historical and Social Perspectives: Childbirth in the U.S.

Jane Addams Hull House Museum Residents' Dining Hall, 800 S. Halsted St, ChicagoWelcome the newest book from the creators of Our Bodies, Ourselves, as we explore thehistory of health care for pregnant women in the United States, beginning with midwivesand dramatic change that happened with physicians taking over pregnancy and childbirth,and the movement over the last 30 years to take back some of the control for women overtheir birthing experience. To RSVP or for information, call Patricia Newton 312.413.1924 orRegina Rust 312.413.4255

Wednesday, April 9, 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM

Journal of Ordinary Thought Release Party

Harold Washington Library Chicago Authors Room, 400 S. State 7th Floor, ChicagoCelebrate the release of the latest issue and hear readings and discussion from and aboutthe latest issue. For more information, go to:http://www.jot.org/news.html

Friday, April 11, 6PM to 7:30 PM

Ending the U.S. Health Care Crisis

Northwestern University School of Law, Lincoln Hall, 357 E. Chicago, ChicagoRepresentative John Conyors explores the U.S. health care crisis and the options forreform in 2008 and the possibilities of a single-payer solution. Sponsored by the AmericanConstitution Society and the American Medical Student Association. For information or toRSVP email [email protected]. Also seehttp://www.healthcareil.org/conyersflier.pdf

Monday, April 14, 6 PM to 8 PM

"Chisholm '72: Unbought and Unbossed"

Jame Addams Hull House Museum Residents' Dining Hall, 800 S. Halsted St, ChicagoA showing of a documentary film about the political career of Shirley Chisholm, the firstAfrican-American woman elected to Congress, followed by a discussion with BarbaraRansby. For more information, go to:http://www.jot.org/news.html

Wednesday, April 16

Ad copy deadline for Debs Dinner Program Book .


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See http://www.chicagodsa.org/d2008/flyer50.pdf

New Ground #117.3

04.21.2008

Contents

0. DSA News

Guess Who's Coming to Dinner

DSA Labor Network Statement


1. Politics

End Boeing Torture Flights

May Labor Fora


Another Perspective on the Culture of Poverty


!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

DSA News

Guess Who's Coming to DinnerYou! At least, we hope so. It's not too late to make reservations for the 50th Annual Debs - Thomas -

Harrington Dinner. Send an email to [email protected] with the number of tickets desired,

your name and address or leave a message at 773.384.0327 with the same information. We aren'ttaking credit cards (the ticket prices will go up, again, when we do) but you can either mail us a


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check or pay at the door. Tickets are $60 each.

This year's Dinner will honor Les Orear, founder and President Emeritus of the Illinois LaborHistory Society; Laurie Burgess, labor attorney with Jacobs, Burns, Orlove, Stanton, and

Hernandez; and Dr. Mardge Cohen, Medical Director of Women's Equity in Access to Care and

Treatment. The Dinner begins with a cash bar at 6 PM. Dinner is served at 7 PM. The programbegins at 8 PM.

There is one change in the program, our featured speaker, Rose Ann DeMoro, had to withdraw

from our event. There's a story behind this, and you can find part of it at:http://www.chicagodsa.org/d2008/index.html

DSA Labor Network StatementDSA's Labor Network adopted a statement on the attempted disruption of the recent Labor Notes

conference in Dearborn, Michigan. You can read it here:http://talkingunion.wordpress.com/2008/04/20/debates-yes-assaults-no-the-labor-notes-conference/

Greater Oak Park DSA MeetingWill be at the home of Tom Broderick, 201 S. Ridgeland in Oak Park. An advisory referendumregarding a Living Wage Ordinance will be on November's ballot plus other branch business and

food. For information, contact Tom at 708.386.6007

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Politics

End Boeing Torture FlightsMichael Baker

When most people think of the Boeing Corporation, they think of commercial airplane

manufacturing like that of the familiar Boeing 747. However, as many readers of New Ground willbe aware, Boeing is involved in much more than just commercial airplane manufacturing. Boeing is

also involved in such things as the manufacture of military aircrafts and missiles, the militarization of

the US borders with its contract to build a " virtual fence" along the US-Mexico and US-Canadaborders, and even the militarization of outer space.

In brief, Boeing is a war profiteer and one of the largest war profiteers in the United States. And to

make matters worse, Boeing has been conducting its war profiteering at the expense of Chicagoans,


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as one of the incentives among many to relocate to Chicago in September of 2001 was a waiver from

paying city taxes for 20 years.

Among its plethora of concerning business dealings, one of Boeing's most shocking is its involvement

in the CIA's "extraordinary rendition" program. Extraordinary rendition is the apprehension and

extra-judicial transfer of individuals, particularly suspected "terrorists," to countries known toemploy torture.

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) describes the practice as follows:

"Extraordinary rendition" is the illegal practice of abducting foreign nationals fordetention and interrogation in secret overseas prisons. Recent accounts of rendition

have demonstrated a chilling pattern--black-clad masked men grab foreign nationals,

beat and strip them down before loading them onto planes for destinations unknown totheir families or governments. These victims are then taken to secret "black site" prisons

around the world. Others are delivered to nations like Egypt, Jordan, Syria, and

Morocco that are notorious for torturing prisoners. Once there, detainees experienceunspeakable horrors-often kept in squalid conditions, they face the brutal practice of

waterboarding, electrocutions, beatings, extreme isolation, and psychological torture.

Boeing has facilitated extraordinary renditions through its wholly owned subsidiary JeppesenDataplan, Inc. Jeppesen's services have included flight plans, fueling arrangements, and even hotel

bookings for those delivering victims into the hands of torturers.

In May of 2007, the ACLU filed a lawsuit on behalf of extraordinary rendition victims againstJeppesen, noting that:

In providing its services to the CIA, Jeppesen knew or reasonably should have known

that plaintiffs would be subjected to forced disappearances, detention, and torture incountries where such practices are routine. Indeed, according to published reports,

Jeppesen had actual knowledge of its activities [violating the Alien Tort Statute of

1789].

Unfortunately, in February, a federal judge dismissed the lawsuit in deference to the CIA's claim of

"state secrets." The ACLU is appealing however.

Over the past few months, a Chicago coalition has emerged to educate the public about Boeing'sinvolvement in extraordinary rendition and to pressure Boeing to stop its participation in the

extraordinary rendition program. The coalition is called the Coalition to Ground Boeing Torture


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Flights, and member groups include the Council on American-Islamic Relations-Chicago, 8th Day

Center for Justice, Chicago Committee to Defend the Bill of Rights, Kick Boeing to the Curb, Voicesfor Creative Nonviolence, American Friends Service Committee, Wellington Avenue Church, and

Chicago DSA. The coalition's objective is to challenge Boeing to state publicly that it will never

again be involved in activities like extraordinary rendition and that it will never again profit fromtorture. With the lawsuit dismissed, the coalition believes that public pressure is now even more

important to call Boeing into account for its complicity in torture.

On March 29, the coalition met to begin planning a year-long campaign to end Boeing's involvementin extraordinary rendition. The objective of the meeting was to agree on the goals of the campaign,

determine the steps of the action plan, set a time line, and ask participants to take on components of

the action plan, depending on their expertise. The year-long campaign will kick off with a publicdemonstration at Boeing's annual shareholders' meeting on April 28th at 9:30 AM at the Field

Museum. All are welcome and encouraged to participate in this demonstration. If you have any

questions about the demonstration, please feel free to e-mail [email protected].

New Ground will continue to report on developments and the planned actions of the coalition. In the

meantime, you can learn more about the coalition by visiting

http://groundtortureflights.wordpress.com.

May Labor ForaTom Broderick

Third Unitarian Church in Chicago is going to have three fora on labor during May. We wereplanning on doing four, but management giveth and management taketh away.

These take place at 10 AM on Sundays at Third Unitarian Church, 301 N. Mayfield, Chicago, IL

(http://www.thirdunitarianchurch.org).

May 4: Globalization ~ The State of European Labor vs US Labor; Kim Scipes, labor activist and

Assistant Professor of Sociology at Purdue University, North Central.

May 18: Building Working Class Solidarity in the US and Mexico; Leah Fried, United Electrical(UE) organizer involved in cross-border solidarity with the Frente Autentico del Trabajo (FAT) an

independent union in Mexico.

May 25: Laws Against Labor, with particular focus on the current Bush Regime; EdwardBurke, General Counsel for Teamsters Local 705 (and a DSA member).

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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Democratic Socialism

Another Perspective on the Culture of PovertyBill Clinton's "welfare reform" of the 1990s did nothing to end poverty; here's how its underlying

assumptions left reality behind:

http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/ideas/articles/2008/03/30/the_sting_of_poverty/?page=full

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



Events listed here are not necessarily endorsed by Chicago DSA but should be of interest to DSAmembers, friends and other lefties. For other events, go to http://www.chicagodsa.org/page9.html.


50th Annual Debs - Thomas - Harrington Dinner

Crowne Plaza Chicago Metro, Halsted & Madison, ChicagoTickets $60 if reserved by April 22. RSVP [email protected] http://www.chicagodsa.org/d2008/index.html


Saturday, April 26, 7 PM

Crime Against Humanity

Batey Urbano, 2620 W. Division, Chicagoa play by poet and activist Michael Anthony Reyes Benavides and former Puerto Ricanpolitical prisoner Luis Rosa. Tickets are $15. For information etc. 773.606.4014.

Sunday, April 27, 2 PM

"Blackwater Invades Illinois"

Oak Park Main Library, 834 Lake St, Oak ParkFilm showing followed by discussion. See http://www.opctj.org



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"Un Poquito de Tanta Verdad" (A Little Bit Of So Much Truth)

National Museum of Mexican Arts, 1852 W. 19th St, Chicago"When the people of Oaxaca decided they'd had enough of bad government, they didn'ttake their story to the media... they TOOK the media." A showing of a documentary aboutthe summer of 2006 in the Mexican state of Oaxaca, followed by a question and answersession with the Director/Producer Jill Irene Freidberg. See:http://www.kentlaw.edu/ilhs/newsdesk.html


Benefit Concert

Wellington Avenue UCC, 615 W. Wellington, ChicagoFeaturing Holly Near, Emma's Revolution, and the Voices. For tickets, go tohttp://www.waucc.org or visit Women and Children First bookstore at 5233 N. Clark,Chicago.

Monday, April 28, 9:30 AM

Protest Boeing Torture Flights

Field Museum, ChicagoHold Boeing publicly accountable for providing transporation to the CIA's program of"extraordinary rendition". Greet Boeing shareholders at their annual meeting.See http://groundtortureflights.wordpress.com

Thursday, May 1, 10 AM

May Day March and Rallies

Union Park, Ashland and Lake, ChicagoThe day begins with a 10 AM rally. The march leaves the park at Noon for a 1:30 PM rallyin the Federal Plaza (Adams and Dearborn).For information: http://www.chicagomayday.com

Thursday, May 1, 5 PM

Precarity

New World Resource Center, 1300 N. Western, ChicagoA series exploreing Chicago progressive/radical community's formulation of theory,strategy, application

Thursday, May 1, 6 PM

Wobblies as Memory and Model


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The Newberry Library, 60 W. Walton, ChicagoHistorian David Roediger will revisit the IWW's legacy then discuss with Penelope andFranklin Rosemont the remarkable story of the collection of IWW materials they donatedto the Newberry.See http://www.newberry.org/programs/ChicagoLaborHistory.html#roediger

Saturday, May 3, 2 PM


at the home of Tom Broderick, 201 S. Ridgeland, Oak ParkAn advisory referendum regarding a Living Wage Ordinance will be on November's ballotplus other branch business and food. For information, contact Tom at 708.386.6007.

Sunday, May 4, 10 AM

Globalization: the State of European Labor vx U.S. Labor

Third Unitarian Church, 301 N. Mayfield, ChicagoProfessor Kim Scipes does a compare and contrast.See http://www.thirdunitarianchurch.org

Monday, May 5, Noon

Brown Bag Lunch Discussion

Grace Place, 637 S. Dearborn, 3rd Floor, Chicagowith Alice Rothchild, author of "Broken Promises, Broken Dreams". Sponsored by AFSCMiddle East Program. To RSVP, email Miryam Rashid, [email protected]

New Ground #117.4

05.05.2008

Contents

0. DSA News


The Red Letter


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1. Politics

CNA v SEIU v CNA v SEIU v ...

No War on Iran

Catch the Flame


Happy Birthday

Capitalism, Socialism, and Work


!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

DSA News

Chicago DSA Membership Meetingwill be on Tuesday, May 13, 7 PM, at the Chicago DSA office, 1608 N. Milwaukee Room 403 in

Chicago. Aside from pizza and drink, this should be an interesting meeting, one of the two most

important meetings for Chicago DSA this year. There are some wonderful opportunities for DSA tomake a real difference in both local and national politics: a living wage referendum in Oak Park, the

abolition of the death penalty, support for Florida tomato workers, the nature of health care reform,

renegotiating NAFTA, just to name a few. But we are also facing some serious existential problems.In Chicago DSA's typically modest way, it's a dramatic situation. This meeting and our membership

convention in June (another agenda item) will be the first two acts in this play. This is a good

meeting to come to, even if you only have time to play the Greek Chorus.

The Red LetterThe Spring, 2008, issue of the Young Democratic Socialists' The Red Letter is posted on line:

http://www.ydsusa.org/news/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/redletterspring2008final.pdf

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Politics


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CNA v SEIU v CNA v SEIU v ...Bob Roman

We had invited the Executive Director of the California Nurses Association (CNA), Rose AnnDeMoro, to speak at this year's Debs - Thomas - Harrington Dinner. Most of you have probably

heard that she withdrew from the program because the Service Employees International Union

(SEIU) promised to picket the event. DeMoro's withdrawal was coincident with SEIU's invasion ofthe annual Labor Notes conference where DeMoro had also been scheduled to speak. While we'll

have a bit more about this in the May - June issue of New Ground, the web is an ideal medium to

provide some additional coverage concerning the dispute behind all this.

In brief, SEIU had been attempting to organize several hospitals in Ohio owned by Catholic

Healthcare Partners (CHP). CHP requested an NLRB election giving nurses the choice of SEIU or

no union. CNA intevened with a PR campaign urging a "no" vote and CHP withdrew the electionrequest. And that is when the feces hit the fan. Both CNA and SEIU have attack sites directed at

portraying the other as evil. For CNA, see

http://www.servingemployersinsteadofus.org/For SEIU, see

http://www.shameoncna.com/

Not to forget Labor Notes:http://labornotes.org/

The truly forgotten third party in all this is the Ohio Nurses Association (ONA.) By some accounts,

ONA had been attempting to organize at CHP also. ONA did not exactly endorse the CNA action,but they did say that "the nurses were not being given the opportunity to choose a professional

nurses' union, such as the Ohio Nurses Association, which would truly represent their interests." See

http://www.ohnurses.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=News&TEMPLATE=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm&CONTENTID=2383

The most interesting and, to me at least, insightful posting was "Labor Wars, Blog Ads, Democracy,

and SEIU/CNA" by Dan Clawson at the DailyKos. The comments to this article are especially good,not to mention civil. See

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/4/23/153533/605

Herman Benson at the Association for Union Democracy also has an informative article on thesituation, including some background on the NLRB technicalities relevant to the Ohio controversy.

See:


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http://bensonsudblog.blogspot.com/2008/04/fight-in-ohio-between-seiu-and.html

Another interesting but clearly not at all sympathetic to SEIU article is "The Purple Punch-Out inDearborn" by Steve Early. See:

http://www.counterpunch.org/early04152008.html

The Monthly Review Blog has two worthwhile articles on the conflict:

Stephanie Luce chaired one of the workshops at the Labor Notes Conference where the CNA v

SEIU conflict manifested. She has written an interesting account and she does try to see both sides

though it's clear that she has some problems with SEIU. Seehttp://mrzine.monthlyreview.org/luce220408.html

Dave Regan is The Man, head of SEIU 1199 Ohio, West Virginia, Kentucky, the folks who invaded

the Labor Notes Conference. In "Why We Demonstrated in Dearborn," Regan makes his case inreply to Luce's article. And he does have a case, though it's undermined by a steely insistence on the

party line. See:

http://mrzine.monthlyreview.org/regan020508.html

In both of these postings, the comments are worth reading. Even though they drift into abuse, the

participants make some good points.

The union politics of nurses is complicated by a multitude of competing organizations and a historyof "professionalism". Like the other allied health professions, nurses attempted to protect themselves

using physicians as their model. This has grown untenable, even for doctors, and nurses have been

organized by nearly every union that's doing any organizing. Two of the big three in the field are, ofcourse, CNA and SEIU. The other is United American Nurses (UAN). UAN offers nurses the ability

to be both unionized and remain a part of the grand old professional organization in the field, the

American Nurses Association. See http://www.uannurse.org/.

UAN recently suffered a split, losing its New York, Ohio, Oregon, and Washington affiliates. The

departing affiliates had demanded that the UAN fire its law firm, Cohen Weiss and Simon, and cease

all discussions aimed at cooperating with the SEIU. Seehttp://www.uniondemocracy.org/UDR/161-Four_state_nurses_associations_quit_AFL-

CIO_union.htm

andhttp://www.uniondemocracy.org/UDR/167-

Nurses_ask_court_to_back_rights_in_NYS_Association.htm

and


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http://www.uniondemocracy.org/UDR/157-New_York_nurses_battle_over_union_ties.htm

No War on IranA resolution has been introduced into the Chicago City Council putting the city on record opposing aU.S. attack on Iran. A hearing on the resolution will be held on Tuesday, May 13, 11:30 AM in

Room 201-A of City Hall (121 N. LaSalle St). The vote by the full Council on the resolution is

scheduled for the next day, May 14. For more information, go to:http://www.nowaroniran-chicago.org/

You can sign a petition in support of the resolution here:

http://www.ilcpj.org/petitions/index.php?%20pid=15

Catch the FlameCatch the Flame is an initiative of Play Fair 2008, supported by a global alliance of trade unions,

non-governmental organizations (NGOs), labor groups and concerned individuals, working together

to draw attention to the maltreatment and exploitation of workers in the merchandise industry of theOlympic Games in Beijing (2008), Vancouver (Winter 2010) and London (2012).

The aim of the campaign is to pressure sportswear and athletic footwear companies, the International

Olympics Committee (IOC), its organizing committees (OCOGs), the National Olympic Committees(NOCs), and national governments, into taking identifiable and concrete measures to eliminate the

exploitation and abuse of workers in the global sporting goods industry.

For more information, go tohttp://www.catchtheflame.org

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Democratic Socialism

Happy BirthdayKarl Marx, born 190 years ago, May 5, 1818.

Capitalism, Socialism, and WorkMichael A. Lebowitz makes a stab at examining the concept of work, apropos May Day:

http://mrzine.monthlyreview.org/lebowitz250408.html

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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Events listed here are not necessarily endorsed by Chicago DSA but should be of interest to DSA

members, friends and other lefties. For other events, go to http://www.chicagodsa.org/page9.html.

Tuesday, May 6, 7 PM

"Broken Promises, Broken Dreams"

Evanston Public Library, Church & Orrington, EvanstonProgram featuring Alice Rothchild, author of 'Broken Promises, Broken Dreams: Stories ofJewish and Palestinian Trauma and Resilience'. Sponsored by Committee for a JustPeace in Israel and Palestine, http://www.geocities.com/cjpipwebsite/, for information,email [email protected]


Feminist Response to Pop Culture

Heartland Cafe, 7000 N. Glenwood, ChicagoBenefit for "Bitch Magazine". Music by The Belmondos, readings from "Bitch Magazine".Cover, sliding scale $10 to $20.See http://bitchmagazine.org

Friday, May 9, 7:20 PM

"Talking Trash and Taming It"

DuPage Unitarian Church, 4 S 535 Old Naperville Rd, NapervilleFilm and discussion, sponsored by DuPage Peace Through Justice Coalition. Call630.505.9408 for information or seehttp://www.dupagepeacethroughjustice.org/#jv

Tuesday, May 13, 11 AM to 1:30 PM

The Working Lunch

Hilton Chicago International Ballroom, 720 S. Michigan Av, ChicagoWomen Employed celebrates its 35th anniversary with a vip reception and luncheonfeaturing Arianna Huffington. For more information, see:http://www.womenemployed.org/index.php?id=120


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Tuesday, May 13, 11:30 AM

No War on Iran

Chicago City Hall, 121 N. LaSalle St Room 201A, ChicagoCity council hearing on a resolution to condemn a threatened war on Iran. For moreinformation, seehttp://www.nowaroniran-chicago.org/



Chicago DSA, 1608 N. Milwaukee, Room 403, ChicagoFor information, email [email protected]

Wednesday, May 14, Noon

New Trials for Police Torture Victims

James R. Thompson Center, 100 W. Randolph, ChicagoRally to demand that Attorney General Lisa Madigan do all she can to ensure thatimprisoned torture victims in Illinois get new trials. Organized by Campaign to End theDeath Penalty. For information call 773.955.4841 or email [email protected]

Saturday, May 17, 3 PM

International Day Against Homophobia

Women and Children First Bookstore, 5233 N. Clark, ChicagoRally in front of the bookstore and march through the community to Gerber Hart Library,1127 W Granville, where there will be a reception with the Iranian Queer Organization'sExecutive Director Arsham Parsi. For more information, see:http://www.gayliberation.net/home.html


Working Class Solidarity: U.S. and Mexico

Third Unitarian Church, 301 N. Mayfield, ChicagoPresentation by Leah Fried, organizer with United Electrical Workers. See:http://www.thirdunitarianchurch.org

Sunday, May 18, 1 PM

7th Annual Walk for a Just Peace in Israel and Palestine

First United Church of Oak Park, 848 Lake St, Oak Park


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Sponsored by the Committee for a Just Peace in Israel and Palestine. For moreinformation, see:http://www.cjpip.org/08_walk.html


Laws Against Labor

Third Unitarian Church, 301 N. Mayfield, ChicagoPresentation by Ed Burke, General Counsel for Teamsters Local 705. See:http://www.thirdunitarianchurch.org

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

PLEASE FORWARD TO THOSE YOU THINK WOULD

BE INTERESTED.

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Chicago Democratic Socialists of America

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Chicago, IL 60647

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!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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