National

When President Bush took his scheme to privatize Social Security on the road last week he came face to face with “red state” reality.
“The president is trying to destroy the social safety net of our society and the people will not allow that to happen,” said Mark Froemke, a Minnesota AFL-CIO vice president, as he marched in Fargo, N.D., with hundreds of workers, active and retired, clergy and students Feb. 3.

A St. Louis stop on freedom’s train?

ST. LOUIS — The history of slavery and racism is a horrible, shameful part of American history. It is a scar on the face of the ideals that our democratic nation holds dear.

CUBA NEWS

Five Cuban men, in U.S. jails for six years, have gained support throughout the world because of the justice of their cause — defending Cuba against terrorism. The enormity of their sentences — life sentences for three of them — and the hideous irregularities in their trial have focused necessary attention on their appeals as well as easing their lives in jail and helping family members. But increasingly the men themselves are becoming the story.

LOS ANGELES — Inspired by the example of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., tens of thousands in California, Texas, and across the nation marched and rallied, calling for peace, social justice, and workers’ rights. click here for Spanish text

Huge coalition moves to stop privatization

“Social Security ain’t broke and Wall Street won’t fix it!” shouted hundreds of marchers in front of the Stock Exchange, Chamber of Commerce and Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s office in San Francisco, Jan. 18. From there the Gray Panthers announced a Feb. 3 national “Day of Deluge,” when people are urged to swamp their Washington representatives with the demand: “No privatization of Social Security.”

Torture role condemned, ‘No’ vote urged

In Judiciary Committee confirmation hearings, senators mostly held their punches on Alberto R. Gonzales’ role in the torture of Iraq war detainees. But defenders of democratic rights branded Gonzales unfit for the office of U.S. attorney general and called on the senators to reject him. click here for Spanish text

The struggle for voting rights continues

Reps. Stephanie Tubbs Jones (D-Ohio), John Conyers (D-Mich.) and Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) defended the legacy of martyrs who died for voting rights when they blocked, for a few hours, Jan. 6, the certification of Ohio’s Electoral College votes to force a debate on the widespread vote suppression and irregularities on Nov. 2.

LOS ANGELES — Restoring the trauma center at the Martin Luther King/Charles Drew Medical Center and maintaining the hospital as a comprehensive health care and training center are high priorities for activists here during a week of activities honoring Dr. King.

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio — Over 170 employees of The Vindicator newspaper remain on strike here as the walkout heads into its third month.

The workers, members of Local 11 of The Newspaper Guild (CWA 34011), are fighting management proposals to reduce health care benefits, impose other takeaways, and limit wage increases to only 1 percent.

OPINION

These remarks were delivered at a joint press conference at the National Press Club, Dec. 16, 2004, with leaders of the AFL-CIO, NAACP and others.