Oct 5, 2002

LONDON – Tony Blair may be President Bush’s only European ally in his drive for war on Iraq. But the people of the UK today forcibly demonstrated their opposition to forcible regime change.

The following is a message from the seven Grammy-nominated Cuban artists who were denied visas by the Bush administration and therefore could not attend the awards ceremony. The message was sent from Havana, Havana City, Sept. 23.

Washington, D.C.: Census reports poverty increase, health care decrease / Sacramento, Calif.: Historic paid family medical leave / Orlando, Fla.: Part-time workers join the union / Denver, Colo.: 2,000 protest plans for war on Iraq / Pittsburgh, Pa: Peaceful resolution to Iraq crisis / New York City: Vigils and lobbying on Iraq

No matter the issue, if it affects working people, William McNary, president of USAction, is there, fighting the good fight for social and health security, quality public schools and against the right-wing agenda.

Imagine you are driving along a busy street filled with homebound motorists. It is only six o’clock and you are headed home. But as you and the rest of the car-bound pack are stopped at a red light, suddenly one, then two, then what seems to be hundreds of bicyclists turn the corner and fill up the road ahead. As you watch the road, a neverending stream of riders on bikes swells.

The West Coast longshore employers group, the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA), which has locked out 10,500 dockers, disrupted an Oct. 1 mediation meeting when its CEO, Joseph Miniace, walked in with an employer delegation accompanied by gun-toting security guards.

In the face of growing public opposition and a divided Congress, President George W. Bush continued a fanatical drive towards war with Iraq pushing a bipartisan resolution giving him free reign to launch unilateral military action. Despite captiulation by some leaders of Congress, members of Congress are mounting a campaign reflecting the overwhelming calls and e-mails that have swamped their offices from constituents saying no to war.

Lo que está en juego en las elecciones del 2002 no podía ser más importante – ni los resultado menos previsibles, con 47 escaños en la Cámara de Representantes y nueve en el Senado vistos como “inciertos.” Pero hemos aprendido una cosa: A tener más y más cuidado con la política racista de división “y lobos en piel de cordero” mientras más se acerca el 5 de noviembre.

Kathy Kelly, two-time nominee for the Nobel Peace Prize, and Ishmael Flory, long-time member of the Communist Party, head the list of honorees at this year’s annual People’s Weekly World/Nuestro Mundo banquet.