We have no union to protect us from this abuse, and the company has now mandated everyone to do this work, which has been added on to our regular duties. Most workers don't like doing these procedures, but they are reluctant to challenge them with the company holding layoffs over our heads.

Forcing airline workers who did not sign up for such jobs--which are usually carried out by security firms--to do these functions is part of the employers' drive to speedup, job combinations, and to get us used to enduring and even carrying out "security" police procedures.

We should oppose this as part of the overall war drive.

Linda Joyce
Atlanta, Georgia
 
 
Good map!
Bravo on the two-page map spread and history lesson in the center of the October International Socialist Review. It reminded me of Leon Trotsky's suggestions for the Soviet press: "The understanding of international newspaper information is impossible without at least the most basic geographical knowledge.... The question of maps in our situation--i.e., in a situation of imperialist encirclement and the growth of the world revolution--is a very important question of general education." (This is from "The Newspaper and Its Readers" in Problems of Everyday Life).

Trotsky advocated such maps for all cultural centers and avenues of public discourse, for the preparation of both the masses and the party workers.

The intellectual sycophants to capitalism are regurgitating the ruling-class line on the history of that oppressed region, but I lacked the necessary detail ammunition to counter the pompous claims of non-Marxist "experts"--other than with working general theory. The spread provides an essential accurate ideological base from which to address the various historical strains of the area.

B.N.
Union City, New Jersey
 
 
Practical nurses in Iceland
A recent article in the Militant about a strike in Iceland by practical nurses dropped the word "practical" in describing the nurses. In Iceland we have both licensed practical nurses and nurses working at hospitals. The practical nurses are more like nurses assistants, taking care of the patients, feeding them, cleaning their rooms, and so on.

Over the years many people in Iceland didn't know that there is a difference between these two professions, but as the practical nurses have become more visible in the class struggle over the last few years, the difference has become quite clear.

Hildur Magnúsdóttir
Reykjavík, Iceland
 
 
No journalist integrity
As a reader of your newsletter for quite some time now, I must say that there is no journalistic integrity in your articles, editorials, and headlines. Your paper is full of hypocritical accusations. While you justly accuse the United States of human rights violations, and constantly use these criticisms in your paper, you ignore and sometimes praise "socialist" countries like China, which has an absolutely horrid record of human rights.

You oppose recent actions taken by the U.S against the Taliban, yet you ignore the Taliban's complete oppression of women, and the fundamentalist form of government which it forced upon its people, without any kind of election.

All of these go directly against socialist dogma. I hope you will publish this letter, but I doubt you will, as you have become the news media propaganda that you claim to oppose.

Ben Atwood
Frostburg, Maryland

The letters column is an open forum for all viewpoints on subjects of interest to working people.

Please keep your letters brief. Where necessary they will be abridged. Please indicate if you prefer that your initials be used rather than your full name.  
 
 
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