Build July 7 actions
I just read the article "Free Puerto Rican political
prisoners," written by me, and the accompanying editorial
titled, "Build July actions to free Puerto Rican political
prisoners," in the June 28 Militant. I am writing to point out
what I think is a big problem in the editorial: neither José
Solís, the most recent political prisoner convicted by the
U.S. government, nor the actions being organized on July 7 in
cities across the country in his defense, are even mentioned.
A large portion of the article focuses on the importance of participating in and building the July 7 actions, as well as the centrality of Solís's case to the fight for the release of all Puerto Rican political prisoners. The article quotes Marcos Vilar, a national leader of the movement to free the Puerto Rican political prisoners, as saying, "We want defenders of Solís to go to the July 7 protests that are being organized in their areas. Where there are not already protests called, people should get together to organize them." I think this should have been the line of the Militant's editorial. All workers, farmers, opponents of imperialist war, and battlers for social justice - those to whom the Militant speaks - should join these July 7 protests, and where none are planned, should work with others to initiate and organize them.
The National Network on Cuba, at its last meeting, voted to endorse these actions. Many of its member organizations will want to help organize and build these actions. I think the planned action in Miami is an excellent example of what can be put together. The Socialist Workers Party, the Antonio Maceo Brigade, the Alliance of Workers of the Cuban Community, and the Miami Coalition to End the Embargo of Cuba joined together to call a picket line on July 7 at the Federal building in Miami. I am sure that readers of the Militant in many other cities will be able to do the same sort of work, along with others, to call and organize demonstrations at federal buildings in their areas.
Joshua Carroll
Chicago, Illinois
Editors' reply: Carroll is right. The July 7 protests are important for all working people and supporters of democratic rights. We urge readers to join in these actions, and work with others to initiate them where none are called yet.
Native American struggle
The Militant quoted Kadira Belynne who was a protester
against the U.S. bombing of Yugoslavia. Belynne argued that if
Washington really "cared about human rights, they would not be
persecuting the Dineh people on Big Mountain. Our government is
in collusion with Peabody Coal to drive them off the mountain.
That hypocrisy just burns me up."
The Dineh, which is the proper name of the people commonly known as the Navajo, have lived on Big Mountain with the Hopi people for generations. Washington adopted law P.L. 93-531, which was the result of a 24-year campaign by special interest groups such as the Kerr McGee Corp. and Peabody Coal Co. This law established an artificial boundary effectively forcing Navajo and Hopi people to move to areas Washington felt was appropriate. A national campaign was launched to defend the rights of these Native Americans.
This is only one of the latest chapters of U.S. hostility to the first people to live in this part of the world. However, the resistance to the theft of Native American lands is more than 500 years old. One of the most dramatic attempts at Native American unity was lead by the Shawnee leader named Tecumseh shortly after the American Revolution. Tecumseh traveled from Canada to Louisiana, and from Florida to New York speaking to as many Native Americans as he could. These various nations spoke different languages and had gone to war against one another in the past. Yet, Tecumseh argued that if all Native Americans did not unify to stop the theft of their lands, Washington would do everything in its power to take everything they had.
In the days of Tecumseh it was unthinkable to attempt to unify workers and farmers with Native Americans. Today it is possible to attempt to unify workers and farmers from all over the world, including Native Americans. That is why it is crucial to point towards the need for a real unity in Yugoslavia, which takes into account the demands of all the nations in that area.
Steve Halpern
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
The letters column is an open forum for all viewpoints on subjects of general interest to our readers. 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.