Free Chrystul Kizer

https://fighting-words.net/

By David Sole, May 23, 2020

Severe stress on an individual organism will often expose weaknesses in its physiology. But that same stress may often also bring out hidden strengths. What is true of the individual is also true of a social organism or society. The coronavirus, small as it may be, is teaching many lessons to the people of the United States.

Labor Creates All Wealth

Trade unionists for decades sung the labor movement anthem “Solidarity Forever” (by Ralph Chaplin, 1915). Most vocalists may not have gotten as far as verses 3 and 5, or paid much mind to the words if they did sing them. But the current pandemic, unprecedented in modern history, with the mass shutdowns and stay at home orders has given real meaning to the traditional song. It reads

“It is we who plowed the prairies, built the cities where they trade, dug the mines and built the workshops, endless miles of railroad laid. Now we stand outcast and starving ‘midst the wonders we have made, But the union makes us strong.”

A bit later in the song,

“They have taken untold millions that they never toiled to earn, But without our brain and muscle not a single wheel can turn. We can break their haughty power, gain our freedom when we learn, That the union makes us strong.”

This song summarizes the Labor Theory of Value, discovered by the bourgeois economist (when these were still honest investigators) David Ricardo and made famous by the great socialist thinker Karl Marx. One can see the panic among the corporate/banking elite and their paid politicians who, with the pandemic still in full swing, are stampeding workers back to unsafe jobs. Every worker can clearly see that it is our class that does the work, it is our class that makes profits for the “idle drones” (another term from Solidarity Forever) and it is our class that makes every wheel turn. The mass media, for a moment, is describing “essential workers” and “heroes” those very workers who previously got no attention and miserable wages and working conditions.

Bailouts for Whom?

The rapid onset of the pandemic and the shutdown of massive sections of the economy quickly caused a crisis for the two main classes in this capitalist society. Workers either lost their jobs or were laid off in the millions, losing their income. Most working class families have very little economic cushion to fall back upon in such a situation. The capitalist class – the so-called 1% (more properly 0.1% or 0.01% of the population) – found that they were no longer extracting “surplus value” (in Marxist terms) from the labor of their workers and faced catastrophic decline of their profits….

Diego Rivera Detroit Industry Mural – North Wall. | Detroit Institute of Arts

Moratorium NOW! Coalition

MORATORIUM ON EVICTIONS & FORECLOSURES CANCEL THE RENT

Today, the Covid-19 crisis and the economic disaster that is ensuing in its aftermath, is no less an emergency for poor and working people than the 1930’s depression.

During the 1930’s depression, governors and legislatures placed Foreclosure Moratoriums in 25 states including a 5 year moratorium in Michigan. The Michigan Moratorium Act suspended foreclosures and empowered the judge to set the mortgage payment at an amount the homeowner could afford.

When challenged by the banks, the 1930’s moratoriums were upheld as constitutional by the US Supreme Court in the case of Home Building & Loan Association v Blaisdell, 290 US 398 (1934). The Supreme Court held:

“The sovereign right of the Government to protect the lives, health, morals, comfort and general welfare of the people, is paramount to any rights under contracts between individuals.” The foreclosure moratoriums were also upheld by the Michigan Supreme Court in Russell v Battle Creek Lumber Co, 265 Mich App 649 (1934).”

Pursuant to the emergency powers vested in the governor by Michigan law, and in order to protect the lives and general welfare of the people in this unprecedented emergency: Governor Whitmer can and must:

• Place a Moratorium on all Evictions in Michigan for one year or longer if the emergency continues;
• Place a Moratorium on all Foreclosures in Michigan one year or longer if the emergency continues;
• Place a Moratorium on all utility shutoffs including water shutoffs in Michigan for one year or longer if the emergency continues;
• Place a moratorium on all mortgage, rental and utility payments in Michigan for one year or longer if the emergency continues. During the moratorium, payments are suspended until an affordable housing payment is implemented, constituting of not more than 30% of household income to cover rent, mortgage, homeowners’ insurance, property tax, utility and water payments. The mortgage moratorium will cover residential properties including properties subject to rent by landlords owning 4 or less properties.

Moratorium NOW! Coalition

Commemorate the Life & Legacy of Che Guevara!

The Che Guevara Volunteer Work Brigade
>> Commemorates the Life and Legacy of ERNESTO CHE GUEVARA <<

ONLINE WEBINAR
Sunday June 14 – Che Guevara’s Birthday!
4pm PT / 5pm MT / 6pm CT / 7pm ET

Revolutionary leader Che Guevara once said, “volunteer work is a school for building consciousness”. These words have inspired Cubans and people around the world, and in this spirit the Che Guevara Brigade is named for him. Since 1993, the Che Guevara Brigade has organized 27 annual brigades from Canada to Cuba, bringing hundreds of brigadistas to Cuba.

Join the webinar to hear speakers from Cuba and Canada, discussing Che Guevara’s ideas and his legacy today! This will also be an opportunity to find out how you can travel to Cuba on the 27th Che Guevara Brigade, November 15-30, 2020.

Featuring speakers from Cuba and former Che Brigade Brigadistas!
> Guivel Orozco Ortega – Deputy Head of Mission and Counsellor, Cuban Embassy in Ottawa, Canada
> David Aldama Pando – Third Secretary, Cuban Embassy in Ottawa, Canada
> Yamil Martínez Marrero – Canada Desk of the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples (ICAP)
> Janine Solanki – National Coordinator of the Che Guevara Brigade
> Dave Thomas – Chair of the Canadian-Cuban Friendship Association – Niagara, former Che Guevara Brigade Coordinator
> Claudia Peralta – Coordinator of the Canadian-Cuban Friendship Association – Calgary, former Che Brigade Brigadista, Che Brigade Committee member and organizer with the Calixto Garcia Brigade
> Haily Fox – Former Che Brigade Brigadista and pre-medical student at York University in Toronto
> Bronwyn Cragg – Participant in the 2019 Anti-Imperialist Solidarity Conference in Cuba, executive member of the Canadian Network on Cuba, and University of Toronto student.

REGISTER ONLINE AT:
https://zoom.us/webinar/register/4715902781366/WN_rRKpvSJcSMC7NYaBO0vFyQ

Interested to find out more about the 2020 Che Guevara Brigade to Cuba?
Visit www.canadiannetworkoncuba.ca/brigade for more information or to register, or contact Che Brigade coordinator at chevolbrigade@gmail.com or 778-881-6156

Organized by the Che Guevara Brigade Committee of the Canadian Network on Cuba (CNC).
The Che Guevara Brigade is a project of the Canadian Network on Cuba, a network of Cuba solidarity organizations across Canada promoting friendship and solidarity with Cuba and the Cuban people.
www.canadiannetworkoncuba.ca

From the Belly of the Beast! Week of Struggle Against US Imperialism

ILPS US country chapter invites you to participate in an International Week of Struggle Against US Imperialism from May 25 to May 31!

Amid the pandemic, peoples and nations are rising up and asserting their interests and demands as corporations and governments gear up for a “new normal” under the same system. With more than a century since Lenin’s seminal work on imperialism was initially released, we continue to see the ongoing relevance and vital importance of building a broad proletariat-led movement to smash imperialism.

As US-based peoples, we are one with the peoples of Latin America and the Caribbean, Africa and Asia: to fight back and defeat US intervention and fascist reaction.

We want an end to the old system of imperialism, plunder and war. We want real change.

MKE Cancel the Rents/Mortgages Car Caravan

Now is the time to act to cancel rents and mortgage payments for tenants, homeowners, small landlords, and other small businesses!

The patchwork of city and state moratoriums on evictions are not enough. As these moratoriums are lifted and the rents come due — we will still not have the money!

Join thousands of people across the country in car caravan protests on Saturday, May 30th to demand the cancellation of rent, mortgages, and all debts to landlords for the duration of the pandemic. Protesters will adhere to social distancing guidelines and requirements, including wearing masks, which have been established to respond to the Coronavirus outbreak.

At least 30 percent of renters will be unable to pay their rent on June 1st. No one should lose their housing for any reason in this crisis! The rents and mortgages must be canceled! Make the banks pay!

The Party for Socialism and Liberation – Milwaukee is joined by Milwaukee Socialist Alternative, Milwaukee Autonomous Tenants Union (MATU), and tenants and homeowners across the city.

If you agree with the call to Cancel the Rents and Mortgage Payments for tenants, homeowners, small landlords and small businesses, join us on Saturday, May 30!

Schedule:
11:00 am – Gather / Prepare
11:30 am – Speakers / Press Briefing
12:00 pm – Caravan Departs

We will be beginning the protest at the Alliance for Peace Center, 1001 E Keefe Ave, and driving for about 30 minutes around Milwaukee’s North Side neighborhoods.

A full map will be attached in the comments below.

Please bring signs, banners, flags, and decorate your cars to make sure the message is seen and heard!

For questions and endorsements contact: milwaukeepsl@gmail.com

https://orinocotribune.com/

The Bolivarian republic of Venezuela denounced through a communique the decision of the Delaware District Court, United States, which intends to carry out the procedures for the judicial sale of the shares of the Venezuelan state-owned company Citgo Petroleum belonging to PDV Holding, a company owned de Petróleos de Venezuela, SA (PDVSA).

It mentioned the existence of a plan by the US government to confiscate the assets of PDVSA in the United States, an action ordered by the deputy Juan Guaidó and his accomplices, so that from a fraudulent representation of the Republic and PDVSA, he acts to the detriment of the national interest, for the benefit of interventionist intentions.

RELATED CONTENT: First Iranian Tanker Fortune Already in Venezuelan Territorial Waters

It repudiates the judgment that intends to execute an award issued by the Arbitration Court of the International Center for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID), for a value of 1.2 billion dollars, based on a claim made by the Canadian company Crystallex against the Bolivarian republic of Venezuela, even though neither PDVSA, Citgo, nor PDV Holding are debtors of Crystallex nor were they subject to the procedure before the ICSID Arbitration Tribunal.

Below, OTs translation of the communique:

The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela denounces [the ruling] that on May 22, 2020, the District Court of Delaware, United States, issued, a decision by which it ordered the execution of procedures for the judicial sale of shares of the Venezuelan state company Citgo Petroleum belonging to PDV Holding, a company owned by Petróleos de Venezuela, SA (PDVSA).

With this ruling, the existence of a plan by the US government to confiscate PDVSA assets in the United States is clear. For such purposes, they have delegated to the deputy Juan Guaidó and his accomplices, the establishment of a fraudulent representation of the Republic and PDVSA, which is not only illegal, but acts to the detriment of the national interest, to the benefit of interventionist intentions.

RELATED CONTENT: Trump Suspends US Entry for Foreign Citizens Who Have Been in Brazil in Last 14 Days – Strategic Friendship US Style

The judgment seeks to execute an award issued by the Arbitration Tribunal of the International Center for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID), for a value of 1.2 billion dollars, based on a claim made by the Canadian company Crystallex against the Bolivarian republic of Venezuela, even though neither PDVSA, Citgo, nor PDV Holding are debtors to Crystallex nor were they subject to the procedure before the ICSID Arbitration Tribunal.

The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela once again warns that judicial representatives who have tried to act on behalf of the Republic and PDVSA in US courts lack any legitimacy. On the contrary, Venezuela has denounced the very serious fact that the lawyer who fraudulently pretends to represent the republic, has actually worked as a legal adviser to the Crystallex company, and is the one who has promoted the thesis according to which he intends to confuse as one the assets of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and the assets of PDVSA.

Faced with this act of arbitrariness and modern piracy, the international community, particularly those with investments in the United States, should remain very vigilant in this case, since it is indicative of the actions that the United States is willing to carry out, even against of the international and internal legal order, to assert their interests on strategic foreign investments.

The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, through its legitimate representatives, will continue to carry out the defense of the heritage of all Venezuelans, anywhere in the world, for which it reserves all actions that may take place at the international level and in the jurisdiction of the United States, to assert their sovereign rights.

Caracas, May 24, 2020

Baltimore May 30: National Day of Protest Against Racism & Repression – Baltimore

Statement by National Alliance Against Racist & Political Repression

The recently re founded National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression calls upon all its members, comrades, friends and allies to join in a national day of protest on May 30th, 2020 at 3:00 PM EST.

We as a movement have been agitated into taking mass, united action not by the pandemic alone but even more significantly by the Federal Government and the financial lords and barons of Wall Street who, driven by their own greed and lust for political power, are willing to sacrifice the lives, health, safety and wellbeing of the people; who deem their profits and their continuing plunder of the national treasury of our nation more important than the lives of the people.

We will be protesting to stop the racist murder and violence that this administration has willfully unleashed. Not only is the government standing by as COVID-19 ravages African American, Latinx and Indigenous communities—inciting mass Black death with their calls to reopen the economy, but the police and racist vigilantes continue to brazenly hunt and kill Black folks while they sleep in their beds and on open roads in broad daylight. We are protesting the murders of Ahmaud Arbery in Georgia and Breonna Taylor in Louisville because they are outrages that demand justice. This lynch style, racist terrorism must stop, and perpetrators must be punished.

We are calling for this united action to protest genocidal policies of government that have allowed city and county jails, federal and state prisons, juvenile detention jails, and Immigrant detention centers to become hot beds for COVID-19 infections and death camps for millions. Who are the human beings incarcerated in these so-called correctional facilities?

They are overwhelmingly oppressed Black and Brown people, LGBTQ and Trans people and poor white, working class people. They come to jails and prisons in large part from the 140 million poor people living in America. They cannot voluntarily social distance themselves. Their confinement prevents them from taking action to protect themselves from death-causing infections. Their continued imprisonment under these circumstances is an act of genocide

We must help them. The prisoners of Cook County jail in Chicago managed to write on one of the windows of the jail: HELP WE MATTER 2.

We are calling this united action to help protect all prisoners from COVID infections and death by demanding that all prisoners be liberated from the death camps that U.S. prisons have become. We demand that the President, Governors and Mayors, Prosecutors and Judges take immediate steps to depopulate jails, prisons and Immigrant detention centers and juvenile facilities.

We are calling this united action to demand the immediate release of all political prisoners and the wrongfully convicted survivors of torture immediately. These prisoners can be released by pardons, commutation of sentences, paroles, furloughs, signature bonds and prosecutors dropping charges and judges granting probations. The federal and state governments have plenty of means for meeting our demands and no reason to deny them other than greed and profiteering off of private prisons and prison labor, the still legal form of slavery under the 13th Amendment.

We will mobilize for car caravan protests and social distancing protests throughout the country. In united action we will standup, fightback and resist to exist. We will not now or ever stand in silence in the face of the crimes of government perpetrated against oppressed peoples and the working class. We must make certain that there is resistance throughout the land in order to have a new and better world after we overcome this pandemic.

For Immediate Release
News from Detroit Eviction Defense

Tuesday, May 12, 2020

***Media Advisory***

Protestors urge: “Don’t Let this Health Crisis Turn into a New Housing Crisis!”

Contacts:
Joe McGuire, Detroit Eviction Defense

joehenrymcguire@gmail.com; (313) 969-7076

DETROIT – A housing justice activism group called Detroit Eviction Defense has called for a caravan protest through downtown Detroit on Wednesday, May 13 at 3:30 p.m. in anticipation of Governor Whitmer’s executive order prohibiting evictions expiring at the end of this week.

The group calls for extending the eviction ban until at least 60 days have passed after the end of the current state of emergency. It also calls for the ban to be expanded to prohibit mortgage foreclosures as well, as other states have done. Finally, the group argues for the need to cancel rent and mortgage payments during the crisis in order to prevent financially distressed tenants and mortgage borrowers from building up unpayable balances of delinquent monthly payments.

Governor Whitmer originally signed her order prohibiting evictions statewide on March 20, but the prohibition is set to end on Friday, May 15 unless it is extended.

Protesters plan to meet at Old St. John’s Church on 2120 Russel in Detroit on Wednesday May 13th at 3:30 p.m. and drive in a caravan down Woodward Avenue, then circle the Cadillac Building on 3044 W Grand Blvd. where the State of Michigan has government offices.

“Massive amounts of people are losing their jobs and income as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, at a rate and speed not seen since the Great Depression” the group says in a statement. “This is leading to thousands of people not being able to pay their rent and mortgage payments. Governor Whitmer signed an executive order prohibiting evictions, but that order expires Friday, May 15. We cannot let evictions resume and we must do whatever we can to pressure Michigan to protect people’s homes and prevent the next housing crisis.”

As they drive through downtown Detroit, the group urges protesters to “Make Signs for your car! Make Noise! Show that we are not going to sit by and watch as people get thrown out of their homes during a pandemic!”

The group also encourages supporters to flood the Governor’s office with phone calls urging them to meet their demands. Other groups such as No Rent Michigan are also organizing call-in campaigns on the same day with similar demands.

Detroit Eviction Defense is a coalition of homeowners, union members, faith-based activists, community advocates, and allied groups united in the struggle against foreclosure and eviction in Detroit, Michigan. Through grassroots advocacy, direct action and peaceful protest, Detroit Eviction Defense helps defend families against eviction and foreclosure. Find them as Detroit Eviction Defense on Facebook and at detroitevictiondefense.net.

The Facebook event page set up for the protest by organizers can be found here: https://www.facebook.com/events/843562456173781/

What:
Car caravan protest calling for housing relief during coronavirus pandemic

WHO:
Detroit Eviction Defense and supporters

When:
Wednesday May 13 from 3:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Where:

Protesters will meet at 2120 Russel in Detroit and drive in a caravan down Woodward Avenue, then circle the Cadillac Building on 3044 W Grand Blvd. in Detroit

======= Zoom meeting details =====================
When: May 16, 2020 02:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Register in advance for this meeting:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0sdumrqD0pHNQ67v50BPuKUeowwqQk2lid