The Britton for Governor campaign is on the side of all students, I am sure, but it would be useful to spell out to some degree the socialist position on college fees, incredible student debt, and cutbacks at every grade level throughout the state.

I am a transit worker of 27 years and often come into contact with students of all ages—ever increasing fees and cutbacks are a hot topic. I believe students today are every bit as capable as we were in the 70s in opposing imperialist wars and capitalist plunder, including on the campuses. But a boost from a genuine socialist campaign is sorely needed.

Rick Trujillo,
San Jose, California
 
 
Liberia
Enclosed find a $35 donation. I would appreciate a little data on the history of ship registry in Liberia, and its connection with the current events. And why Charles Taylor has fallen from favor with the big-business henchmen that originally placed him in power.

Horace Kerr
Denver, Colorado
 
 
Imperialism
I am an electrician and have been a union man for years. I find you web site interesting, but I notice you use the term “imperialist” quite frequently.

In order that I might better understand the articles, please let me know what you mean when you use this term. Do you use it as a general term, or does it have a specific meaning?

Ken Berg
by e-mail
 
 
French socialism?
I’ve come across your explanation of the more than 11,000 heat deaths in France and would like to comment. Being a Swiss citizen from the French speaking area of Switzerland, I’ve followed the issue closely and I know French politics extremely well.

The heat wave this summer was universal all over Europe, including Spain, Italy, Germany, and, of course, Switzerland. We’ve had temperatures of over 41.5° Celsius, at the very least as hot as in France, if not even hotter.

Strangely, France was the ONLY country where the elderly died in such great numbers during this heat wave.

How is France different from its neighboring countries? Simple, plain, and obvious: France is BY FAR the most collectivist, socialist, and centralized country in all of Europe! Government controls pretty much all aspects of society and over 60 percent of the total economy.

Your title of “French capitalism kills 12,000 during heat wave” can at best be considered ironic, since “French capitalism” is practically an oxymoron.

The only “capitalism” to be found in France is STATE capitalism, which is of course the exact inverse of true capitalism, as still found in Switzerland or the U.S.A.

In France, you can see more homeless than in the U.S.A. by now. Violence also has surpassed U.S. rates.

Many young French people dream of emigrating because of the miserable economic outlook in their own country. I’m personally assisting several to immigrate to Switzerland.

Stefan Metzeler
by e-mail

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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