Published bimonthly since 1986, AGAINST THE CURRENT is a Solidarity-sponsored analytical journal for the broad revolutionary left. The March/April issue features the Educational Crisis in California and the Unfolding Fightback with articles by students and workers in the University of California system. For International Women's Day there are reviews on gender, sexuality and liberation by Catherine Sameh, Chloe Tribich and Kate Flynn. Other articles include Malik Miah on Obama Forgets the Black Community, Michael Steven Smith on Lost Liberties in the Age of Obama and Kim Moody on the Crisis and Potential in Labor's Wars and coverage on Honduras and Gaza.
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Against the Current
International Viewpoint is the monthly English-language magazine of the Fourth International. IV is a window to radical alternatives world-wide, carrying reports, analysis and debates from all corners of the globe. Correspondents in over 50 countries report on popular struggles, and the debates that are shaping the left of tomorrow.
Put a Socialist in the Senate!
Dan La Botz, a 64-year old Cincinnati school teacher, has filed petitions with the Ohio Secretary of State to become the candidate of the Socialist Party for the U.S. Senate. La Botz, who needed 500 signatures to get on the Socialist Party primary ballot, filed petitions with approximately 1,200 signatures on Thursday, Feb. 18. La Botz, a long time labor and social movement activist, is the candidate of the Socialist Party of Ohio which is the state organization of the Socialist Party USA.
Read more...Keep up with the campaign!"
DanLaBotz.com
Buttons to Build the Movement
Order these eye-catching buttons to spread the demand for social and economic justice. If you don't have paypal, email us!
Reads Bail out People, not Wall Street!. Around the edge, these 2 1/8" buttons read "Free Health Care," "Defend Public Services," "Living Wage Jobs," "Free Higher Education," "Troops Home Now," "Rebuild the Gulf Coast," and "Affordable Housing."
Bright orange 1 1/2" buttons boldly demand: "Bring the Troops Home Now!" Wear one everywhere to start a conversation about why US occupation can never be a force for liberation, and people's needs should come before the massive military budget.
Produced during the massive immigrant rights demonstrations of 2006, these 2 1/8" buttons read, in Spanish and English: ¡exigimos Paz, Legalización, y Trabajos para Todos! we demand Peace, Legalization, and Jobs for All!
Videos from Solidarity's Educational Conference
November 14-15 in New York City, Solidarity held a successful conference featuring engaging talks on a number of topics. Click here to view these videos from "Their Crisis, Our Movements"
- Crisis of Capitalism, Challenge to the Movements (David McNally, New Socialist Group)
- The New Imperialism and The Global Fightback (Vivek Chibber, Christy Thornton, Jonah McCallister-Erickson)
- The State of Resistance in Communities & the Workplace (Normahiram Perez, Steve Downs, Penelope Duggan)
- Race and National Liberation Under Obama (Glen Ford, Lalit Clarkston)
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- Second Annual Convention of Labor Campaign for Single Payer, March 5-7, 2010
by Milton posted on 03/13/10
- Trail of Dreams, bound for DC, passes through Georgia
by Tim S posted on 03/12/10
- Chicago immigrant youth are Undocumented and Unafraid
by Isaac posted on 03/11/10
- Women's Day March in San Antonio Says “Ya Basta” to Abusive Treatment of Workers
by Chris posted on 03/10/10
- Tres resolutivos del Congreso Mundial de la IV internacional sobre México
by International Viewpoint posted on 03/9/10
- Disability and socialism
by Chloe posted on 03/9/10
- Pakistan: Women workers march in Lahore to observe International Women Day
by International Viewpoint posted on 03/8/10
- Salt of the Earth, Classic of Feminist Cinema [Full Video]
by Isaac posted on 03/8/10
- Solidarity with Haiti!
by International Viewpoint posted on 03/7/10
- How many gender problems can you count?
by Chloe posted on 03/7/10
from the Webzine
- This is Only the Beginning
5 days 7 hours ago - Building North-South Solidarity
5 days 7 hours ago - Final Resolution, in English
5 days 20 hours ago - Response to Erik and Chloe on disability
5 days 20 hours ago - Solidarity's take on the Fifth International
5 days 22 hours ago - Socialists/Disability
6 days 7 hours ago - The FSLN and Solidarity
6 days 8 hours ago - Not facetiously or
1 week 5 hours ago - Please download and submit a single-signer petition for the CDA
1 week 14 hours ago - Crimson Ride Drivers--Update
1 week 2 days ago
One Year of Obama and the Democrats’ Debacle
Last fall, in the discussion that produced our analysis of “Obama After 200 Days,” we said it would be premature to speak of a “crisis” for the administration. A year after the euphoric 2009 inauguration, it no longer looks premature. People who looked to Obama and the Democrats for leadership are bitterly disappointed, and a very peculiar brand of rightwing politics has seized the initiative.
Read more...
Regroupment & Refoundation of a U.S. Left
As part of the preparation for our 2008 Convention, members of SOLIDARITY have begun a political document describing some perspectives for socialist renewal in the twenty-first century. We welcome responses to this initial draft of the document. Some of the themes here have also been developed in Solidarity's Founding Statement and our 1997 pamphlet, “Socialist Organization Today.”
New Pamphlet: Hell on Wheels
New from Solidarity! Long time transit worker activist Steve Downs has written a pamphlet charting the twenty year story of New Directions, a rank and file caucus in New York City's transit union that he helped build and develop - including the challenges of keeping the rank and file democracy movement alive after New Directions won control of the local.
Read an interview on Zmag.orgRead a review and order your copy today!
From Abortion Rights to Reproductive Justice
New from Solidarity's Feminist Commission, this leaflet responds to the right wing attack on reproductive freedom and argues that the movement must go beyond "pro-choice" to true reproductive justice. This socialist and anti-racist feminist agenda would take up issues such as access to health and child care, forced sterilization, and the division of "productive" and "reproductive" labor.
Download the pamphlet...
What does Dr. Tiller's murder say about the state of reproductive rights in the US?
The cold-blooded murder of Kansas abortion doctor George Tiller on May 31st sent shockwaves across the United States. Tiller was one of about a dozen doctors in the country who specialize in third trimester abortions. He received referrals from hospitals and doctors across the region and was known to be particularly skilled at the technical and psychological aspects of his practice.
His murder provoked an outpouring of sentiment and press coverage. President Obama immediately issued a statement decrying the murder, calling it an outrage and a heinous act of violence. Dozens of vigils were organized across the country.
The more mainstream wing of the anti-abortion movement seemed chastened by the atrocity. “We condemn this lawless act of violence. The foundational right to life that our work is dedicated to extends to everyone,” said Charmain Yoest of Americans United for Life.
Other anti-abortion activists admitted that Tiller’s murder will make it difficult to take a hard line on the nomination of Sotomayor, who has not staked out a clear position on Roe v. Wade.
(On the other hand, the killing and its aftermath didn’t take the wind out of the sails of right wing pundit Phil O’Reilly, who continued to defend his initial claim that Tiller was known as “Tiller the baby killer” in a June 15 airing of the O’Reilly Factor.)
The practical consequences of Tiller’s death appear to have been mitigated somewhat by the willingness of Nebraskan doctor LeRoy Carhart, a friend and colleague of Tiller’s, to provide similar services in Kansas.
Still, women whose medical or psychiatric conditions necessitate late term abortions will now have an even more difficult time securing appropriate care.
President Obama has made extremely important reforms in the areas of sex education and reproductive rights --ending the global gag rule, loosening restrictions on stem cell research and appointing some pro-choice activists to positions in his administration, to name a few -- but Tiller's murder is a good reminder that there's still a long way to go.
For one, the Hyde Amendment still prevents poor women from using federally funded health insurance to get abortions. Before his election, Obama had stated his opposition to this law, but has not taken action to end it as president.
Tiller's murder reminds us that, even in the age of Obama, we still need a stronger grassroots reproductive justice movement.
Dr. Tiller
Thanks for the post!
It's essential for people who support a woman's right to make reproductive decisions and to insist on the state's duty to make sure various options are available to defend third trimester abortions.
About 90% of all abortions occur within the first trimester. That's because when women find out they are pregnant and decide they cannot continue the pregnancy, they arrange for an abortion. Those who have second and third trimester abortions do so because a) they can't put together the money for the procedure, b) they discover late in their pregnancy that a serious abnormality has developed and they decide they cannot continue, or c) they are very religious and have been praying or hoping something would happen and finally realize they must act if they do not want to continue the pregnancy.
The right wing has seized on third trimester abortions as the main space to conduct the fight to outlaw at least some abortions. They have succeeded in getting a federal law passed that severely limits third trimester abortions and conducted a huge campaign to particularly vilify medical personnel at clinics that perform them.
We need to roll back the restrictions that interfere with women's right to make the fundamental decisions about when and if to bear a child--and there are many. That means better birth control methods, better sex education, low-cost abortion procedures, well-funded child care options and paid time off so that parents can raise their children.
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